At the pre-fight press conference for UFC 271, former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker put it best: “You can see the level difference between us (Adesanya) and the rest of the division.”
In Saturday’s main event, the two best middleweights in the world will finally face each other again in a highly anticipated rematch. The last time Adesanya and Whittaker met, the Nigeria native knocked “The Reaper” out in front of the largest crowd in UFC history to become the undisputed middleweight king. Leading up to the bout, Adesanya was as confident as could be, and in his mind, the way UFC 243 ended was inevitable.
While Adesanya entered Marvel Stadium in Melbourne, Australia with all the confidence in the world, it was the champion, Whittaker, who was mentally feeling the pressure. Subsequently, Whittaker fought angry, and he lost the title as a result.
Whittaker may have been the champion going into UFC 243, but the popularity of his opponent was undeniable. The flashy knockouts, confidence, and showmanship displayed by Adesanya made him a huge fan favorite and a must-see fighter.
Since that night in Melbourne, Australia, Adesanya has gone on to successfully defend the title three times and the champion is as confident as ever entering his fourth title defense. But while Adesanya was defending the title, Whittaker has been clawing his way back to the top, securing three dominant decision victories over Darren Till, Jared Cannonier, and Kelvin Gastelum in the process.
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The biggest difference this time around? Whittaker understands the assignment and knows he has what it takes to become champion. He’s done it before, and he’s more than capable of doing it again. Easier said than done, of course, when you’re standing in front of Adesanya, who is barely entering his prime, and who is always the most confident one in the room. Remember, though, there is a reason why Whittaker was once the champion of the world.