"He got caught into the hype of Adesanya" - Marvin Vettori on why Robert Whittaker will fare better against 'The Last Stylebender' in their rematch

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Marvin Vettori (Left), Robert Whittaker & Israel Adesanya (Right) [Images Courtesy: @marvinvettori @stylebender on Instagram]

At long last, Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker have had their much anticipated rematch booked. The two elite middleweights are set to face off at UFC 271 in February 2022. The last man to face Israel Adesanya in the UFC octagon, Marvin Vettori, has now given his take on the fight.

Adesanya looked at his all-time best in their first clash, knocking Robert Whittaker down in the first round before finishing him in the second.

However, Marvin Vettori believes the second fight will have a very different dynamic. Speaking on the Real Quick With Mike Swick Podcast, Vettori stated:

"Whittaker looked very good in his last fight... I think Whittaker has improved since they last fought. I think even mentally he will be more prepared and ready to fight him in a sense. Because remember when he fought the first time, I think he got caught into the hype of Adesanya a little bit. I don't know what it was but he came out really like tense, like kill or be killed but not in a good way. Like, I either wanna get you out fast or I'm out fast."

Much was later made of Robert Whittaker's mental state after the fight and the former champion opted to take some time away from the sport as a result. However, he then came back with a vengeance, picking up three consecutive victories over Darren Till, Jared Cannonier and Kelvin Gastelum.

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Will Marvin Vettori be training to be backup for Israel Adesanya vs. Robert Whittaker 2

Marvin Vettori is likely not too far down the queue for a title shot. The winner of Derek Brunson vs. Jared Cannonier, which goes down at UFC 270 in January, is arguably going to be next in line for a meeting with the champion.

Despite having lost twice to the current 185-pound king, Vettori's impressive display against Paulo Costa last month has certainly brought him back into contention as well. When asked if he would be staying in training camp in case either Robert Whittaker or Israel Adesanya drop out, Vettori said:

"I always do a lot of shadow boxing stuff, stay in shape. You know, I do cardio and I'll go over things in my head. I mean... my mind is never off fighting."

You can check out Marvin Vettori's full interview with Mike Swick below:

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