"I've got bigger fish to fry" - Israel Adesanya says he has "nothing to lose" in Robert Whittaker rematch

Israel Adesanya will look to record his fourth successful title defense since winning the middleweight title from Robert Whittaker in October 2019. While a second meeting between the two elite middleweights will be a huge test for both men, 'The Last Stylebender' claims he has nothing to lose heading into the bout.

During a recent appearance on BT Sport, the champion discussed his rematch with Robert Whittaker. He stated that he is in the same boat as the former champion, who will look to recapture the middleweight crown. Here's what Adesanya said:

"This guy feels like he has nothing to lose, but guess what, I'm in the same boat. I feel like I have nothing to lose because I've got bigger fish to fry. So, I don't think that's going to be an issue this time."

Watch Israel Adesanya's full interaction with BT Sport's Caroline Pearce below:

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Robert Whittaker claims there's no pressure on him heading into rematch against Israel Adesanya

Robert Whittaker seems very confident going into his second bout against Israel Adesanya. 'The Reaper' has claimed that he is not the same fighter who lost to 'The Last Stylebender' during their first encounter.

Whittaker also stated that there’s no pressure on him as most think Adesanya will run through 'Bobby Knuckles' again. Appearing on a recent episode of Just Scrap Radio, Whittaker said:

"I’m a completely different fighter than I was then, I have come a long way since then. I’m very self-confident in who I am and why I do things, and as well as I’m aware. Having those things hand-in-hand I think I’m going to be quite immune to his tricks. There was a lot of pressure as well but that is the beauty of this fight, no one expects me to win. He is the champ. He has been doing so well, so I’m going to go out there and look to execute on what I want to do and put all the hard work to good use."

Watch Robert Whittaker's full conversation with Just Scrap Radio's Cole Shelton below:

Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker are scheduled to run it back in the main event of UFC 271, which takes place this weekend on February 12, 2022. The first meeting between the two middleweights saw Adesanya score a second-round KO win to capture the title.

Since winning the bout, Adesanya has successfully defended the title thrice, with his most recent win coming over Marvin Vettori. Whittaker, on the other hand, has won three consecutive bouts to earn a rematch with the reigning champion.