Robert Whittaker: If Adesanya Talk Would’ve Gotten Personal, I Would’ve Handled It Personally
Robert Whittaker and Israel Adesanya are preparing to headline a massive pay-per-view (PPV) this weekend in Melbourne, Australia.
The pair will unify their middleweight championships in the main event of UFC 243 from the Marvel Stadium. While talking trash isn’t really Whittaker’s style of hyping a fight, it’s certainly Adesanya’s, who has been keeping the fire going with his remarks. Speaking to MMA Junkie, Whittaker claims he remains unphased by “Stylebender’s” talk. However, if the talk would’ve gotten personal, then he would’ve addressed it personally.
“Not at all,” Whittaker said. “If it had become personal, I would have taken care of it personally. He’s just selling the fight, and he’s being human, and he’s running his own thing, and I’m happy for that. It takes work off my plate. But I can’t be anybody but myself. I’m just doing the same thing I always do.
“I find a lot of what he says funny. I get a good chuckle out of it, so yeah, it definitely has not affected me. I look forward to fighting him on Sunday just because he’s a good fighter, plus he wants it.”
This is undoubtedly the biggest fight of both men’s careers. With Adesanya being a New Zealand resident, and Whittaker fighting out of Australia, not to mention more than 50,000 fans expected to attend, the fight has the potential to be the biggest in the country’s history. However, Whittaker is treating things like it’s just another fight.
“I am treating it just as another fight,” Whittaker said. “Intellectually, I can look at it and say, ‘You know, this huge. This is my title defense. It’s a milestone for me, and I can’t wait to get there.’ It’s going to be a great event. But in terms of the fight game, it’s just another fight.
“I think (the enormity of the moment) will be something that I reflect on after the fight. I can see it being the biggest fight ever, especially in this part of the world. I’m very excited for the amount of spotlight that’s going to put on not only the sport, but especially the athletes. That’s very important for me, because that’s another motivator for my career at the moment. So yeah, I’m very happy with how this is unfolding.”
Who are you picking to get the job done between Whittaker and Adesanya?
