5 reasons why Israel Adesanya vs. Robert Whittaker 2 will be more competitive than the first fight

#2. Robert Whittaker admits Israel Adesanya got into his head before first fight

Israel Adesanya is one of the best trash-talkers in combat sports. The quick-witted Kiwi has always had the soundbite to back up his incredible abilities in the cage and often takes pleasure in jibing at his opponents.

Robert Whittaker, in contrast, is one of the nicest individuals on the UFC roster. He seldom exudes many emotions going into a fight. The affable Australian prefers to kill his opponents with kindness rather than allow them the opportunity to get on his nerves.

However, this wasn't the case going into his first fight with Adesanya. Whittaker allowed himself to get drawn into the hype and trash talk coming his way and it showed in his performance.

Watch a compilation of Israel Adesanya's trash-talk directed at Robert Whittaker below:

In retrospect, Robert Whittaker recognizes how he let his disdain for Israel Adesanya get the better of him. During a recent appearance on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, Whittaker opened up about his mindset going into the first fight.

He said:

“I got in my own head so much and I had so much grudge towards him [Israel Adesanya] and gripe that I wore myself out. I had so much anger and hate, and I wore myself out. It got tiring being angry at him, and for no real reason. It’s not like he came to my house and stole my TV.”

The vitriol that consumed Robert Whittaker showed in his performance at UFC 243 against 'The Last Stylebender'. He came after Israel Adesanya with tons of aggression, rather than the cerebral approach he usually utilizes. He added:

“You can see how of out of the ordinary I fought [against Israel Adesanya]. How reckless, if you would, how I fought. I guess that’s the biggest regret I would have in that fight. I wish I fought like myself. I’m not satisfied with that.”

In the aftermath, Whittaker was forced to take a hard look at himself in order to rectify what went wrong. The former champion is well aware that the first fight didn't accurately represent him at his best.

Watch Robert Whittaker preview his rematch with Israel Adesanya on The MMA Hour below:

---

#1. There's far less pressure on Robert Whittaker going into the rematch

The first fight between Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker at UFC 243 holds the UFC record for the highest attendance to this day. The event, which took place at Marvel Stadium in Melbourne, Australia, had an attendance of 57,127.

A stadium mostly filled with Aussies came to watch Whittaker, the Australian champion, defend his belt. The then-champion clearly felt the pressure of the situation and has since explained why he doesn't miss holding the middleweight title.

Whittaker says he likes the climb as opposed to being on top of the mountain. In the same interview on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, 'The Reaper' revealed that he feels holding the belt can leave a fighter without a goal and hence, prefers being the one chasing. He said:

"I miss the better pay days. That's about the only thing I miss from [being champion]... I really enjoyed the chase, the work up the ladder. I know there's that whole psychology of guys who get to the top and then find themselves aimless... once I got there, I didn't have the same sort of fire in me. My goals kind of got shifted and I don't think I made the adjustment before I fought Izzy."

Additionally, the rematch will be contested in neutral territory. With UFC 271 set to go down at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas, Robert Whittaker won't have the same level of pressure placed on his shoulders. He will also likely go into the bout against Israel Adesanya as a sizeable betting underdog, considering the nature of their first fight.

Moreover, Whittaker will be well-rested and injury-free going into the rematch. At just 31 years of age, fans tend to forget how young 'The Reaper' really is. He is just now entering the prime of his career.

Robert Whittaker discusses the lack of pressure going into the rematch with Israel Adesanya

All things considered, the UFC 271 showdown between Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker will provide a conclusive answer to the question: Who is the best middleweight fighter in the world?

Can Whittaker draw level in his series with 'The Last Stylebender', or will he lose to the Kiwi again?