Robert Whittaker Says as a “Warrior”, he Needs Israel Adesanya Rematch

After punting Israel Adesanya’s plans to fight Jared Cannonier next at UFC 254, Robert Whittaker isn’t insisting that he face the middleweight champ next and or soon. But, the former champ has let it be known that he won’t be complete, unless he faces ‘The Last Stylebender’ again.

Whittaker says he needs a rematch with Adesanya

Whittaker battled Cannonier in the co-main event of Saturday’s card, and bested the powerful fighter on the feet to score a decision win. The victor was Whittaker’s second since he lost the title to Adesanya last October, who finished him in round two at UFC 243

Well, after Adesanya put away Paulo Costa last month at UFC 253, the champ said he hoped to face Cannonier next, if he beat Whittaker. So, now that Whittaker has spoiled that plan, he was of course, asked about whether he wants to fight Adesanya again following UFC 254 (quotes via MMA Junkie).

“He’s a tough fight, man,” Whittaker said. “I’m stoked to fight him. He’s a hard fight. He’s so good and he only looked better in his last fight – and the fact he beat me once already.

But I feel like I’ve got a couple of tricks I can roll out. I feel like I can play it differently this time.

Honestly, I know he’s trying to do everything else, and good on him to do that. I’m not thinking about him.

Maybe me and him shouldn’t think about it just for a little bit. He can go up to light heavy(weight) or heavyweight.

Whatever he wants to do, it doesn’t bother me. My plans are Christmas, my baby, and then, hopefully, our timelines line up then.”

And when asked a follow-up, in terms of how determined he is to fight Adesanya again, Whittaker said this.

“I do want to fight him one day – one day,” Whittaker said. “Whether it’s in my career or in the parking lot as two old fellas one day.

I feel like our paths will cross again. As a warrior, it’s something I need to do. But I’m not worried about who I fight next.

My whole mentality with this game is: ‘You line them up. I knock them down.’ I’m pretty good at that.”

What’s next?

So, it will be interesting to see what happens here. Will Adesanya change-up the time frame he previously set to fight Jon Jones? 

The vaunted striker had said he was looking at fighting Jones in the summer of 2021. But that was when he was planning to defend the middleweight title against Cannonier.

Is he interested in rematching Whittaker at this juncture? There really isn’t another obvious challenger for the belt right now as it stands. 

If you’re wondering, after UFC 254, Dana White said that Adesanya – Whittaker 2 makes sense. So, unless Adesanya does make a jump to 205 next. maybe a rematch with Whittaker is in the cards.