Marvin Vettori isn't too keen on being the backup fighter for Israel Adesanya vs. Robert Whittaker 2
![Marvin Vettori (left), Israel Adesanya vs. Robert Whittaker (right) [Photos via @marvinvettori & @ufc on Instagram]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2021/11/03b94-16373058635132-1920.jpg?w=500)
Marvin Vettori isn't fully on board with becoming the backup fighter for the title bout between Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker.
As much as Vettori aspires to become a UFC champion, the Italian star believes it won't be in his best interest to take such a risk. In a recent episode of the Real Quick with Mike Swick podcast, Vettori was asked about reports about him being a potential replacement for either Adesanya or Whittaker. Vettori replied:
"No, it's not confirmed. But, yeah man, I wanna fight it on my own terms for the next time that I fight Adesanya. Like you say, it goes both ways, when I’m ready, I wanna fight. So, I mean, I know it’s good money but like, I don’t know if I can be... I don’t know if I can do that in a sense."
Watch Marvin Vettori's full interview below:
Marvin Vettori says he wants to fight Israel Adesanya on his own terms
Marvin Vettori added that while stepping in as a replacement would pay handsomely, he wants his second title shot to be on his "own terms." Vettori has fought Adesanya twice already, both times losing via decision. 'The Italian Dream' continued:
"I hate giving away a whole preparation, you know. A lot of people would do it for money, but for me, I’m always open to business and all that, but money is not the first goal when I got into the sport. I wanna be champion. I mean, I don’t know. When they will ask me I’ll give a real answer. But I feel like I earned, eventually, the right to fight it [championship fight] on my terms. ‘Cos even the last time, and I’m not saying I wasn’t ready, I was 100% ready, but I basically prepared for the fight in seven weeks and a half. I fought Holland. Eight weeks after the day I fought Holland, I fought Adesanya. This time I want a whole camp and I think I earned that."
This comes after UFC president Dana White suggested that Marvin Vettori makes sense as a backup fighter for Israel Adesanya vs. Robert Whittaker 2. The young star, of course, is in the good graces of the UFC boss after he agreed to a risky fight against Paulo Costa at UFC Fight Night 196 in October.
Watch Dana White's interview with TMZ below: