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After putting on a masterclass against Kelvin Gastelum at UFC Vegas 24, it's safe to say that a championship rematch against Israel Adesanya is within reach for Robert Whittaker. Here's what The Reaper had to say about a potential rematch with The Last Stylebender after his win against Kelvin Gastelum:
"Right now it's about respect. Obviously, [Israel Adesanya is] a great fighter but I think we should talk, mate. I think it's about time we cross paths once again. I think we can get a sold out stadium. They might even open up the boarders for Australia in September. Let's make that happen, Whittaker said during the post-fight interview.
And he's right. No matter what Marvin Vettori says, it's undeniable that Robert Whittaker has solidified his status as the number one contender for the UFC middleweight title.
The last time Israel Adesanya and Whittaker met in the Octagon, The Last Stylebender knocked Whittaker out to capture the middleweight title. But of late, the Australian has displayed signs that he would do so much better in a rematch against Israel Adesanya.
If Robert Whittaker gets another shot at The Last Stylebender, his chances of reclaiming UFC middleweight gold are very favorable. And if you're not convinced, listed below are five reasons that could change your mind.
#1 Robert Whittaker's boxing has tremendously improved
In the recently-concluded main event of UFC Vegas 24, Whittaker outclassed Gastelum in every single aspect of cage-fighting to earn a lopsided unanimous decision win.
Whittaker reminded everyone why he occasionally goes by the nickname Bobby Knuckles. He did the most damage in the striking department, accurately landing a variety of punches and crisp combinations. And Gastelum just had no answer.
According to Whittaker, what he displayed was the result of polishing his striking - something he vigorously focused on during at training camp.
"Because we were preparing for Costa initially, so speed was the key. I worked on my stand-up a lot. And I worked with (boxing coach) Justin Fitzgerald very much and I worked with (super welterweight boxing star) Tim Tszyu a little bit. We just got my hands to the next level," Whittaker revealed during the post-fight interview.
Against a striking savant like Israel Adesanya, Robert Whittaker's newly-found mastery of boxing will come in handy.
#2 Robert Whittaker's wrestling has gotten better
What's so impressive about Robert Whittaker's development is that he didn't solely focus on improving his striking. The Reaper scored four takedowns against an accomplished wrestler like Kelvin Gastelum and did it with relative ease.
"My striking has been... it's the best it's ever been. We've focused on it a lot this camp, obviously. But, I think I spoke to you before, I have never wrestled this much in a camp than I have for this fight. And you can see my teammate obviously he had a great win and he utilized his wrestling very well. So I was very comfortable that if I get to the position, I can take him down," said Whittaker.
As UFC light heavyweight champ Jan Blachowicz has proven, one can get the better of Adesanya by dominating him on the ground. Surely, Robert Whittaker is well aware of that fact and it won't be a surprise if he exploits Israel Adesanya's weak wrestling defense in a rematch.
#3 There's a chink in Israel Adesanya's armor
One more thing we learned during Israel Adesanya's failed attempt to become a two-division champ was that he's beatable, after all.
When Israel Adesanya fought Robert Whittaker at UFC 243, he was undefeated with a 17-fight winning streak. However, Adesanya's air of invincibility is gone after falling short against Blachowicz.
Israel Adesanya is currently on a mission to remind everyone why he's the king of the middleweight division after suffering his first career loss at UFC 259 as a pro-MMA fighter. And a determined Israel Adesanya is a very dangerous opponent.
But in an eventual rematch, Whittaker will be coming in with a sky-high level of confidence as well. And now that Whittaker has seen a 25-minute instructional video of how to defeat Israel Adesanya, he's in a good position to avenge his loss.
#4 Robert Whittaker will be extremely cautious
Robert Whittaker's downfall in his first fight against Israel Adesanya was his aggression. He charged at Adesanya with reckless abandon and paid with his consciousness for it.
But now, Robert Whittaker has tempered his aggression with patience. Against Gastelum, Whittaker still pushed the pace, earning a total of four minutes and 12 seconds of Octagon control time. However, The Reaper was way smarter in his approach.
Whittaker repeatedly avoided Gastelum's haymakers while landing clean and precise counter punches. This was best displayed during the third round when Whittaker baited Gastelum into firing a big right hand. The Reaper telegraphed the punch, ducked, side-stepped, and connected with a beautifully timed counter right.
#5 Robert Whittaker worked hard to get back into title contention
Normally, former champions get an immediate rematch after losing their belt. And in the case of Jorge Masvidal, he was rewarded with an instant championship rematch even after losing as a challenger.
But that wasn't the case for Robert Whittaker. He scratched and clawed his way back into the title picture by fighting the best contenders in the division. Since losing his middleweight crown, Whittaker has taken down Daren Till, Jared Cannonier and Kelvin Gastelum.
Robert Whittaker is aware of how difficult it is to climb the UFC middleweight ladder. He'll certainly make the most out of a title shot against Israel Adesanya.
Read here: Everything you need to know about Robert Whittaker's Wife
