UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya will step inside the octagon this weekend to defend his title against old rival Robert Whittaker in a highly anticipated rematch at UFC 271. This title fight will take place on February 13th in the main event at the Toyota Arena in Houston, Texas.
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Consequently, there is a lot of hype around this five-round main event clash as these two middleweight’s will cross paths once again after dominating all their opponents. In their first meeting at UFC 243 in 2019, Adesanya got the better of Whittaker as he dropped him twice and won the fight via KO/TKO in the second round to win the middleweight title.
Since that bout, both Izzy and Bobby Knuckles have developed their tools and are on a great run in the division. Owing to the fact that, Israel Adesanya has successfully defended his middleweight title thrice against the likes of Yoel Romero, Paulo Costa and Marvin Vettori. On the other hand, Robert Whittaker bounced back by defeating Darren Till, Jared Cannonier and Kelvin Gastelum.
As we move forward, let us compare the state of these two middleweight fighters that will face each other at UFC 271.
UFC 271: Israel Adesanya vs Robert Whittaker Stats
| Stats | Israel Adesanya | Robert Whittaker |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 21 | 24 |
| Losses | 1 | 5 |
| Height | 6 ft 4 in | 6 ft |
| Division | Middleweight | Middleweight |
| Reach | 80 in | 74 in |
| Leg Reach | 44.5 in | 43 |
UFC 271: Israel Adesanya vs Robert Whittaker Fight Breakdown and Prediction
When Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker first fought in 2019, The Reaper made the mistake of overextending and got caught off guard twice. Therefore fans can expect a cautious approach from Whittaker this time around at UFC 271.
On the other hand, the champion Israel Adesanya usually likes to read his opponents in the first round and likes to strike from a distance. Izzy’s six reach physical advantage means that the middleweight champion would try to land a substantial amount of leg kicks against Whittaker.
Speaking about the styles, The Last Stylebender is more of a counter striker and has a dynamic approach. Moreover, the level of unpredictability makes his striking more lethal. Just like Izzy, Whittaker’s striking is top notch and he has outstriked his last three opponents.
In close proximity both these middle weights are lethal as they have the ability to land powerful strikes and stun their opponents. Apart from the striking, Robert Whittaker has an upper hand in wrestling. With that being said, Bobby Knuckles would try to emulate the gameplan of Jan Blachowicz and control Izzy on the ground.
Owing to the fact that Adesanya struggled to hold his ground against the Polish fighter in their light heavyweight fight. Hence there are still question mark’s about the champion’s takedown defence and Robert Whittaker would try to exploit this flaw.
However, Adesanya’s reach advantage could play the deciding factor in this title fight. And if he manages to defend Whittaker’s takedown attempts then there is a high possibility that he would get his hands raised by the referee. Im the end, fight fans can expect a terrific battle between these two amazing middleweight fighters at UFC 271.
UFC 271: Israel Adesanya vs Robert Whittaker – Israel Adesanya wins via decision
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