Israel Adesanya targets 'fresh meat' after proving he is 'best in world' at UFC 271

Middleweight champion triumphs in rematch with No 1 contender Robert Whittaker

Israel Adesanya celebrates after his victory over Robert Whittaker at UFC 271 in Texas on February 12, 2022. AFP

Israel Adesanya said that he proved he is “the best in the world” at middleweight with his victory in the rematch against Robert Whittaker at UFC 271 on Sunday morning.

The champion, seeking to once again defend the belt that he captured from Whittaker in 2019, prevailed in the main event in Houston, Texas via unanimous decision.

The Nigerian-born athlete, who this week signed a lucrative new contract with the UFC, was superior for the majority of an albeit close encounter against the division’s No 1-ranked challenger, eventually winning 48-47, 48-47, 49-46.

Adesanya, 22-1 in professional mixed martial arts, retained the middleweight crown for the fourth time — he has also previously successfully defended the interim title, too — to reinforce his position as one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the world.

Asked in the post-bout press conference how he rated his performance, Adesanya said: “Seven out of 10. Not bad. Good night in the office. Good chess match.”

While the encounter was keenly contested, Adesanya’s victory did appear justified. The New Zealand resident, 32, even recorded a flash knockdown of his Australian rival in the first round, with Whittaker claiming afterwards that he believed still that he had in fact “done enough” to win instead.

“He did not win that fight, and he knows it,” Adesanya said. “He needs to go have a shower as well and reflect and realise that's not true … You don't do 'enough' to win the title. You take the belt. That's how this works.”

In defeating Whittaker, Adesanya snapped the former champion’s three-fight win streak. Whittaker, 31, had not lost since the original meeting between the two, at UFC 243 in October 2019, when his opponent recorded a second-round TKO to land the belt.

In the time between bouts, Whittaker has rebuilt his career to register impressive victories against Darren Till, Jared Cannonier and Kevlin Gastelum.

On Sunday, Adesanya said: “We're just two guys trying to be the best in the world. Tonight, I was the best in the world.”

Thus, Adesanya remains undefeated at middleweight. His only professional loss came upon his move up to light-heavyweight last year, where he was beaten by then-champion Jan Blachowicz via another unanimous decision.

Adesanya ruled out another jump in divisions in his immediate future, instead identifying Cannonier as a potential next opponent. The American was also successful at UFC 271, defeating Derek Brunson earlier on the main card at the Toyota Center.

“We'll see,” said Adesanya when asked if a third fight with Whittaker appealed. “The division is filled with killers. It's filled with killers. But I'm looking forward to fresh meat.”

Meanwhile, Whittaker held titles at middleweight between 2017 and 2019, and said his improved display in the rematch with Adesanya showed enough to warrant another crack at the current champion.

“You can see in this fight how much I've come, to the point where I think I beat him,” Whittaker said. “I'm just excited for the future. I believe there is no ceiling for me.

“Honestly, a third fight between me and Izzy is inevitable. It's inevitable because I am going to stomp anybody who comes in front of me again and he knows that too. That is why he said I will be seeing you in the future.

“And I don't see him losing the belt anytime soon. He is good. I think I am the person to beat him. Yeah, my mission stays the same: beat the next guy and then the next guy.”