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UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya is so confident in his ability that he doesn't mind revealing what his strategy is against Robert Whittaker.
'The Last Stylebender' took to social media to give a breakdown of his thought process as he countered one of his rival's most reliable weapons: the front leg side kick. In a clip posted on Twitter, Adesanya said:
"I can give you the blueprint. Anyway, when you try this front leg side kick again, this is not the only counter I have for it. I knew his position, right by the way he was standing."
Regarded for his prolific striking, Robert Whittaker has been utilizing knee stomps to catch his opponents off-guard. The effectiveness of Whittaker's technique was best displayed during his bout against Darren Till at UFC Fight Night 174.
As seen in the photo below, Whittaker's kick forced Till's knee to bend awkwardly. According to Till, the strike caused a tear in his right knee's ligament.
However, Israel Adesanya had his opponent's tricks well-scouted. A masterful striker himself, the 32-year-old champ revealed how he saw Whittaker's strike coming and what he did to defend against it.
"I knew this position was [when he is] ready for the front (kick). He was gonna throw it so I retracted and threw my own left leg. But then, luckily, he just happens to catch his head up at the last second. So he throws it, I retract it, and I fire back."
Watch Israel Adesanya's breakdown below:
Israel Adesanya's war of words with Robert Whittaker
Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker have been taking shots at each other through interviews and social media posts. The presumed title challenger previously said in an interview that the champion isn't as good as he thinks he is. Speaking to dailytelegraph.com.au, 'Bobby Knuckles' said:
“He’s definitely not a God and not even as good as he thinks he is."
Not one to shy away from a back-and-forth, Adesanya retaliated, posting a montage of what took place the last time during their first fight.
In their first go-round, Adesanya knocked Whittaker out to unify the UFC middleweight titles. The two are expected to run it back, but an official announcement has yet to be made.
