Fight Prediction Israel Adesanya vs Robert Whittaker
In the fall of 2019, millions of viewers around the planet turned their eyes to the screens, watching one of the most intriguing matches in the UFC middleweight division. That evening, interim champion Israel Adesanya came for the belt of the undisputed king of 84 kg Robert Whittaker, and in a dominant manner smashed the Australian, laying him down in the second round.
After almost two and a half years, they will meet in the octagon for the second time to put an end to their confrontation, or to start one of the best trilogies in the history of the middle division. The pair will headline UFC 271 on the night of February 13th. We, using the language of facts, will predict which of the guys at the moment is more likely to triumph in the upcoming fight.
Israel has 5 bonuses for the brightest fights, which he got in fights with such legends and current tops as Anderson Silva, Marvin Vettori, Kelvin Gastelum and many others. One of the highlights of his career was an attempt to take the light heavyweight belt from Jan Blachowicz, which turned out to be a heavy defeat for the Nigerian.
Compared to his opponents, Adesanya looks lean and long, but that by no means makes him an easy target. A huge advantage in reach over his colleagues, as well as the ability to use it correctly, makes this guy one of the most difficult targets for any opponent.
Taking into account the performances of the "Last Stylebender" only in the middleweight division, we can state the fact that bringing him to the ground is an almost impossible task, and even more so to keep him there. He works well with the hips and body, and also perfectly understands how to get out from under the enemy, unless, of course, he weighs over 100 kg, like Jan Blachowicz. And Adesanya has stamina for all 5 rounds.
Turning pro, Robert took the SFA league title, then tried to take the CFC belt, but unsuccessfully, and only after that he won one of the seasons of the TUF show. In the big leagues, the Reaper has had to deal with the division's elite opposition, sharing the cage with Ronaldo Souza, Yoel Romero, Derek Brunson and others. Having become the UFC champion, Whittaker could not keep his belt for a long time, as Adesanya appeared in the middleweight division.
Speed is another advantage that Whittaker uses in every fight. Being at a distance inaccessible to the opponent, he flies into him, throwing out a quick deuce, and in a moment he is at a safe distance for himself. It would seem that such a bunch is easy to read, but so far few have managed to keep up with the attacks of the "Reaper".
The wrestling past gives Robert the opportunity to avoid problems on the ground floor. It is very difficult to transfer him to the ground, even passing to the legs in the center of the cage, and the control performed by the Australian does not raise any questions at all. He practically does not use submissions, but he can resort to positional struggle to score points.
In his best years, Robert held almost any blows and put pressure on his opponent, despite the damage received. After 10 rounds with Yoel Romero, the situation has changed a lot, and now in almost every fight, after a good hit, opponents force the ex-champion to do a “chicken dance”, horrifying his fans.
However, Adesanya has a trick, thanks to which he is ready to disarm the opponent in any hands - this is the aforementioned timing, as well as accuracy, along with combinational work. Remarkably, he can get under attack to hit back 2-3 serves, and in their first fight, this played a key role. How will Whittaker answer him? Fighting, but only a few managed to knock fresh Izzy to the floor. It follows from this that it is the champion who has more trump cards in his sleeve, only they will work only if he joins the battle right away, since he definitely will not succeed in throwing a sluggish shootout with Robert for 5 rounds.
However, Rob will not take risks, just like he did in the first fight, he has no injuries, but he has crazy motivation to regain the title. That is why, when the bookmakers display all the options for betting on this confrontation, a great option would be to choose a bet on total rounds - this time I believe that the fight will pass its equator. And taking into account the fact that both fighters of the last 3 fights (winning) ended in referee decisions, you can use a bet on the victory of any of the participants on points. Otherwise, having an impeccable reputation, the champion has more chances for victory, but the alignment here is 60 to 40, no more. Download 1xbet to your phone and place a bet on the favorite!
Prediction: Israel Adesanya to win/Total over 2.5
After almost two and a half years, they will meet in the octagon for the second time to put an end to their confrontation, or to start one of the best trilogies in the history of the middle division. The pair will headline UFC 271 on the night of February 13th. We, using the language of facts, will predict which of the guys at the moment is more likely to triumph in the upcoming fight.
- Israel Adesanya vs Robert Whittaker;
- Israel Adesanya;
- Robert Whittaker;
- Comparative analysis;
- Game Totals Prediction.
Israel Adesanya vs Robert Whittaker
Israel Adesanya
The champion, even before his debut in MMA, was a professional boxer (5-1) and a kickboxer (75-5). He fought in Glory, went through many serious opponents, but achieved the greatest success by concentrating on mixed martial arts. Here he managed to win the belts of the AFC, HFS organizations, and then fly into the UFC and take the title there.Israel has 5 bonuses for the brightest fights, which he got in fights with such legends and current tops as Anderson Silva, Marvin Vettori, Kelvin Gastelum and many others. One of the highlights of his career was an attempt to take the light heavyweight belt from Jan Blachowicz, which turned out to be a heavy defeat for the Nigerian.
Strengths
Israel's arsenal is built on striking skills and, despite his anthropometry, which we will also attribute to pluses, he manages to strike very accurately and on time, moreover, both from long and short distances. An excellent combination of footwork and body work opens up unlimited possibilities for him in choosing levels of attacks that are difficult to predict due to the mix of styles used.Compared to his opponents, Adesanya looks lean and long, but that by no means makes him an easy target. A huge advantage in reach over his colleagues, as well as the ability to use it correctly, makes this guy one of the most difficult targets for any opponent.
Taking into account the performances of the "Last Stylebender" only in the middleweight division, we can state the fact that bringing him to the ground is an almost impossible task, and even more so to keep him there. He works well with the hips and body, and also perfectly understands how to get out from under the enemy, unless, of course, he weighs over 100 kg, like Jan Blachowicz. And Adesanya has stamina for all 5 rounds.
Weaknesses
You can admire the fighting qualities of Israel for a long time, his spirituality and dedication. But if you look at the success of the champion after the first meeting with Whittaker, it seems that this guy "had enough of fighting" and stopped progressing. A sluggish fight with Romero, an unwillingness to take risks with Vettori, and a bet on refereeing decisions lead to the idea that Adesanya has reached the peak, and at the moment he cannot jump above this mark.The current form and readiness of the fighter
The 32-year-old Nigerian remains undefeated in the middleweight division, and only light heavyweight Blachowicz could give him problems. The aforementioned Yoel Romero, Marvin Vettori, and also Paulo Costa were passed by him confidently, with a competent prioritization, in order to obtain the least damage, but we have not seen the former warrior in a cage for a long time. There is no doubt that Israel is in perfect shape, and he is doing great with the handle, but I would like to see a bright finish from Izzy, which will remove any questions about his greatness from people's heads.
Robert Whittaker
The Australian is number one in the middleweight rankings. From an early age, he was involved in various types of martial arts, and currently has black belts in Hapkido, Karate, and BJJ. In addition, in his arsenal there is a fight in which Whittaker won the victory at the Australian Cup, and after - at the national championship, in the category up to 97 kg.Turning pro, Robert took the SFA league title, then tried to take the CFC belt, but unsuccessfully, and only after that he won one of the seasons of the TUF show. In the big leagues, the Reaper has had to deal with the division's elite opposition, sharing the cage with Ronaldo Souza, Yoel Romero, Derek Brunson and others. Having become the UFC champion, Whittaker could not keep his belt for a long time, as Adesanya appeared in the middleweight division.
Strengths
Robert is one of the few basic karatekas who has managed to adapt perfectly to mixed martial arts. He uses a wide stance, swings from a distance, and moves a lot, which makes it quite difficult to catch him towards. And, of course, the background in karate allows him to competently use kicks to mark the distance.Speed is another advantage that Whittaker uses in every fight. Being at a distance inaccessible to the opponent, he flies into him, throwing out a quick deuce, and in a moment he is at a safe distance for himself. It would seem that such a bunch is easy to read, but so far few have managed to keep up with the attacks of the "Reaper".
The wrestling past gives Robert the opportunity to avoid problems on the ground floor. It is very difficult to transfer him to the ground, even passing to the legs in the center of the cage, and the control performed by the Australian does not raise any questions at all. He practically does not use submissions, but he can resort to positional struggle to score points.
Weaknesses
Of course, Whittaker can work out the second number, but it is more convenient for him to go forward himself, which implies certain risks. This is especially true for fights with counterpunchers, for whom this style is the real bread in battle.In his best years, Robert held almost any blows and put pressure on his opponent, despite the damage received. After 10 rounds with Yoel Romero, the situation has changed a lot, and now in almost every fight, after a good hit, opponents force the ex-champion to do a “chicken dance”, horrifying his fans.
The current form and readiness of the fighter
Whittaker is only 31 years old, is 4-1 in five fights, and had his last fight in April 2021. Under the rink of this guy were Darren Till, Jared Cannonier and Kelvin Gastelum, whom he passed after a crushing defeat to Israel Adesanya. Perhaps, we have before us that unique case when a fighter reached the peak of his form, having lost his "handle" in the hardest battles. Robert is more dangerous than ever, he scored a good move, he is completely healthy, but the crystal jaw, unfortunately, crosses out many of his virtues.Comparative analysis
It was mentioned a little earlier that in terms of anthropometry, none of the TOP-15 middleweight fighters can compete with Israel. And compared to Robert, he goes far ahead in terms of arm span - 18 cm, and rises above him by 10 cm. However, Whittaker has a lower center of gravity, he is more athletic, and can compete with a champion in footwork. Both prefer to fight in a stance, stand wide on their feet, but reveal their striking power at different distances - at medium and close, Robert, and at far and medium, Israel.However, Adesanya has a trick, thanks to which he is ready to disarm the opponent in any hands - this is the aforementioned timing, as well as accuracy, along with combinational work. Remarkably, he can get under attack to hit back 2-3 serves, and in their first fight, this played a key role. How will Whittaker answer him? Fighting, but only a few managed to knock fresh Izzy to the floor. It follows from this that it is the champion who has more trump cards in his sleeve, only they will work only if he joins the battle right away, since he definitely will not succeed in throwing a sluggish shootout with Robert for 5 rounds.
Israel Adesanya vs Robert Whittaker Fight Prediction
If you do not take into account all the quotes, the opinions of other fighters, and so on, then we can safely say that Robert Whittaker, today, is the only representative of the division who can beat Adesanya. They don't have a crazy gap in their shooting, it's more about the sense of distance and finding the perfect time to throw attacks, and the challenger can spend some time on the ground, scoring points. But, the intimidating accuracy, intricate combinations and combinations from the Stylebender, as well as his strong chin, risk becoming an impossible task for the punched Reaper.However, Rob will not take risks, just like he did in the first fight, he has no injuries, but he has crazy motivation to regain the title. That is why, when the bookmakers display all the options for betting on this confrontation, a great option would be to choose a bet on total rounds - this time I believe that the fight will pass its equator. And taking into account the fact that both fighters of the last 3 fights (winning) ended in referee decisions, you can use a bet on the victory of any of the participants on points. Otherwise, having an impeccable reputation, the champion has more chances for victory, but the alignment here is 60 to 40, no more. Download 1xbet to your phone and place a bet on the favorite!
Prediction: Israel Adesanya to win/Total over 2.5
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