Robert Whittaker not discouraged by UFC 243 loss to Israel Adesanya: 'I can beat him'
MELBOURNE, Australia – Robert Whittaker is in good spirits despite losing his UFC middleweight title to Israel Adesanya at UFC 243.
Whittaker (20-5 MMA, 11-3 UFC) suffered a second-round knockout loss to Adesanya (18-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC) in the title unification bout, which took place Saturday (Sunday locally) at Marvel Stadium. He was doing well in the fight until the final seconds of Round 1, when he was dropped. “The Last Stylebender” came on in the second and found his opening to finish the fight.
Losing the title is an obvious setback for Whittaker, but he’s keeping his head held high. To him, he was simply caught on the wrong end of the game of inches that is MMA.
“Obviously I’m disappointed, but I took the fight to him,” Whittaker told reporters, including MMA Junkie, post-fight at UFC 243. “Me and him are two of the best strikers in the world, and it was tit for tat, and I got caught. It happens. He beat me tonight, but I’m 28. This is my first loss in the division and trust me when I say I’m not going anywhere.
“I wasn’t in awe of his striking, and I was confident in my own, and I was having great success. I need to work on that check-hook defense. We went out there and put our hearts on it, and it happens. We’re two of the best strikers in the world together, and that’s what happens. Someone is going to get caught, and unfortunately tonight it was me.”
Prior to UFC 243, Whittaker hadn’t lost since February 2014. He clearly took confidence from the fact the fight was competitive and still believes he can get the better of Adesanya.
“I’d like to see on another night, let’s go at it again,” Whittaker said. “I think I can do that. And that’s what’s so disappointing, I guess. I feel like I can beat him. I feel like I have the skillset to beat him. But we clashed heads, and I came off second best. I got caught. Hats off to him. He’s a great striker and congratulations. But like I said: I’m not going nowhere. I’m still one of the best in the world. I’ve always claimed that title. I’m one of the best in the world. I got the title once.”
With Paulo Costa lined up as the No. 1 contender at 185 pounds, it’s likely Whittaker will have to win at least one fight before he’s competing for a belt again. Whittaker expressed relief that he came out of the octagon unscathed outside of the knockout and said he will be thinking about his next fight not long after returning home to Sydney.
“Thank God I’m not injured,” Whittaker said. “I took the knockout, but I’m healthy. I’m just going to come home and see my family, get training, I’m going to do my podcast, and I’m coming back to work in a couple months.
“I’m on the market. I’m here to fight. I’m back to work, and I felt great out there. This is the best I’ve ever been. Honest to God, this is the best I’ve ever been. I just got caught, and that’s what happens.”