"He gets the trash-talking rights" - Robert Whittaker took Israel Adesanya's latest taunts in good humor
Robert Whittaker just treated the MMA world to an absolute clinic as he defeated Kelvin Gastelum via unanimous decision at UFC Vegas 24. 'The Reaper' was already the number one ranked middleweight in the world after his two consecutive wins against Darren Till and Jared Cannonier. He earned his right to a rematch with champion Israel Adesanya but had to wait on the sidelines while 'The Last Stylebender' moved up a weight class to challenge Jan Blachowicz for the light heavyweight belt.
Not one for inactivity, Robert Whittaker agreed to fight Paulo Costa at UFC Vegas 24. Costa was forced to withdraw from the scheduled bout due to health issues, and Kelvin Gastelum stepped up on short notice. While some saw this as a step down for Robert Whittaker, considering he's ranked number one and Gastelum is ranked number eight, 'The Reaper' was happy to go ahead. He cited their previously failed matchup at UFC 234, saying he owed Gastelum a fight.
In the main event of UFC Vegas 24, Robert Whittaker put on a masterclass, dominating Kelvin Gastelum for five rounds. From his quick striking and reading of his opponent's movements to landing important takedowns, Robert Whittaker showed a variety of moves in his arsenal. We saw an improved version of 'Bobby Knuckles', one who is more than worthy of challenging the champion Israel Adesanya.
Robert Whittaker and Israel Adesanya exchange words after UFC Vegas 24:
After the fight, 'The Last Stylebender' put out a tweet simultaneously congratulating and mocking the number one contender.
Robert Whittaker, being the good sport that he is, laughed it off in the post-fight interview, saying Israel had earned the trash-talking rights after beating Whittaker. He did, however, also say that he and Izzy need to have a rematch, hinting at September as a possible date. Witnessing the improved version of Robert Whittaker and the problems Adesanya faced defending takedowns against Jan Blachowicz, it's safe to say that this fight will be worth watching.