Robert Whittaker on why UFC doesn't want to give him rematch against Israel Adesanya
As reported by MMA Fighting, former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker had earlier disputed Dana White’s twist on words regarding his rematch with Israel Adesanya.
Robert Whittaker asserted that UFC President Dana White twisted his words around and made it seem as though Whittaker doesn’t want a rematch against Israel Adesanya. Instead, he claimed that the promotion has gone the money route, preferring to book a superfight between the middleweight champion and LHW champion Jan Blachowicz.
Former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker suffered a KO loss at the hands of then-interim middleweight champion Israel Adesanya in October of 2019.
Adesanya then became the undisputed UFC middleweight champion and went on to successfully defend his title in fights against Yoel Romero and Paulo Costa.
Meanwhile, following his loss to Adesanya, Robert Whittaker returned to the win column – besting Darren Till in July of this year and Jared Cannonier in October. Both of Whittaker’s victories came by way of unanimous decision.
Nevertheless, Dana White recently suggested that Whittaker isn’t interested in facing Adesanya in a rematch.
White and the UFC also confirmed that UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya’s next fight would see him move up a weight class to challenge Jan Blachowicz for the latter’s UFC light heavyweight title.
Robert Whittaker wants a rematch against Israel Adesanya
Speaking to MMA Fighting, Robert Whittaker said that he’s a tad confused as to why Dana White would claim that he doesn’t want to rematch Israel Adesanya.
Whittaker revealed that there wasn’t any communication or dialogue between him and the UFC/Dana White regarding the rematch. The Reaper added that the Adesanya rematch was never offered to him. Whittaker stated –
“He twisted my words around. I think because he had his own designs and the UFC—When I say ‘he’ I mean him and the UFC as an organization, I understand that Dana White doesn’t personally want to do things. Or maybe he does, who knows?—but I think they wanted [Adesanya vs. Blachowicz]. That’s a money fight for them. That’s a fight they wanted to push and that’s the only reason I can see that.”
Furthermore, Robert Whittaker emphasized that he has done more than enough to warrant a rematch against Israel Adesanya for the UFC middleweight championship.
Whittaker added that although he’s willing to face Adesanya, the only caveat is that he doesn’t want to fight during Christmas as he wants to spend time with his family and also plans on welcoming a child in January of 2021.
Moreover, Whittaker indicated that he hates the “political sort of ploys and plans” surrounding matchmaking in the sport of MMA. The Reaper reiterated that the next step for him would most definitely be a title fight.
Would you like to see Robert Whittaker face Israel Adesanya in a rematch for the UFC middleweight title? Sound off in the comments.