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Robert Whittaker recently opened up about the issues he faced in the lead-up to his first bout against Israel Adesanya.
Back at UFC 243, Whittaker was knocked out by Adesanya in their UFC middleweight championship clash. 'The Last Stylebender' was able to get the better of him in the majority of their exchanges and ultimately, 'The Reaper' just couldn't keep up.
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As their rematch at UFC 271 approaches, many believe Whittaker stands a much better chance at getting his hand raised this time around. The Australian, during a recent interview with Submission Radio, opened up about how the training camp for the first fight got to him.
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The former middleweight champion said:
“It was such a different experience because for one, I was burnt out from the game itself. The camp was just a slog trying to get through it. I was dragging my feet getting to training, doing everything that I was doing for the fight, that it just wasn’t fun. I wasn’t enjoying it, whereas this time, it’s been hard work, but I’ve been enjoying it."
He added:
"I’m enjoying the ride. I made sure to enjoy the moments between sessions a lot more. A week out from the fight, I’m enjoying this week a lot more. I’m enjoying the lead-up and the build-up a lot more - I’m happy, I’m in a good place."
Watch Robert Whittaker's interview on Submission Radio below:
What has Robert Whittaker achieved since UFC 243?
It wouldn't be a stretch to suggest that Robert Whittaker has completely reinvented his game over the last two years. The newly-discovered patience within his style has allowed him to become one of the most well-rounded middleweight competitors in recent memory.
Whittaker has been far more composed in just about everything he has done in his last three fights. He's been able to showcase that with ruthless efficiency in his unanimous decision victories over Darren Till, Jared Cannonier and Kelvin Gastelum.
Going into his rematch with Israel Adesanya at UFC 272, Whittaker will undoubtedly be in the best shape of his life, both physically and mentally. Can he draw level in his series with 'The Last Stylebender', or will he lose to the Kiwi yet again?
