Middleweight champion Israel Adesanya isn’t expecting much when he returns to the Octagon to fight Robert Whittaker this weekend. Adesanya took Whittaker’s middleweight belt in the first place, and although Whittaker has sworn revenge, “The Last Stylebender” doesn’t think his Australian nemesis is quite good enough to win the strap back.
On his YouTube channel, Adesanya responded to Whittaker’s claims that he’s improved since their fateful last meeting. He says, specifically, that Whittaker is receiving far too much credit for his four-fight win streak since losing the belt.
Adesanya: Whittaker’s Comeback is Overhyped
“Yes. Way too much. To the point where I’m like, did he invent a new move or something? Did he reinvent the jab or I don’t know what.
He improved, yes, but not to the point where people have blown it up to be. The proportion. I think maybe people just have low standards, that’s all. I just have high standards.
He played the game very well against all three opponents, I feel. At the same time, you put those three guys together, they don’t amount to me. The way they play the game, it’s not the same. So like I said, ‘I was not impressed by your performance.’”
Adesanya also pointed out that, although plenty of detractors believe that he’s arrogant, it was Robert Whittaker’s ego that ultimately cost him the title. “I saw a little snippet of what he was saying. It’s like he finds it hard to swallow.
It’s a hard pill for him to swallow. He’s admitting it, he’s saying the right things, but he’s not believing it. He’s ego won’t let him and that’s his downfall. His ego.
People tried to say that about me leading to the first fight. ‘Oh, he’s too egotistical. He’s not humble like Whittaker.’ I’m like, bro, stop. I am extraordinarily humble. I know my limits as a human being and my capabilities.
So I know I’m the sh*t but at the same time, I know I ain’t sh*t. He needs to check himself. He’s got this new found mental clarity and it would help him positively if it was true. I just don’t buy into it.”
Israel Adesanya remains undefeated at middleweight, although an ill-fated sojourn in the light heavyweight division saw him dominated by Jan Blachowicz. Adesanya has defended his middleweight title against Marvin Vettori, Paulo Costa, and Yoel Romero, and plans on dominating Robert Whittaker this weekend at UFC 271.
Do you think Whittaker is overrated, or is there something Israel Adesanya can’t see about his old nemesis? Let us know in the comments.
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