"Usman needs fresh meat" - Michael Bisping suggests Robert Whittaker should return to welterweight and fight Kamaru Usman

Michael Bisping believes a return to 170 lbs would give Robert Whittaker's career a fresh coat of paint following his two losses to Israel Adesanya.

'The Reaper' received a hard-earned title shot at UFC 271 after defeating three top contenders at 185 lbs following his first loss to Adesanya. Despite a much-improved performance, he fell short and lost by unanimous decision to the middleweight champion in the rematch.

During a Q&A session on his YouTube channel, Bisping stated that Robert Whittaker should consider a move back down to welterweight. 'The Count' added that the move would be beneficial for both the Australian and Kamaru Usman – who is in need of new challengers for his 170 lbs strap.

Bisping added that a clash between the two fighters would draw significant interest from the fans, saying:

"There's a really good option [Kamaru Usman] because I know Robert said he's going to come back. I know he said he'll be back, and I know he said Izzy knows that he'll be seeing him again. And I know it's fair to say that Robert is the number two middleweight on the planet. He is; he just can't beat Adesanya. Going back down to welterweight, yeah? Usman needs fresh meat. I think Whittaker and Usman match up very well and that would sell massively. That would be a great fight."

Watch the entire Q&A session below:

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Robert Whittaker believes that a third fight with Israel Adesanya is inevitable

After suffering a devastating KO loss in their first encounter, Robert Whittaker showcased significant improvement to push Israel Adesanya to the limit in their rematch at UFC 271. 'The Reaper' scored four takedowns but couldn't control his opponent on the canvas for long enough to come away with a victory.

Whittaker doesn't expect Adesanya to drop the middleweight title in the near future. He has vowed to earn another crack at the championship by running through the division. During the post-fight press conference, the former champ said:

"Honestly, a third fight between me and Izzy is inevitable. It's inevitable because I am gonna stomp anybody who comes in front of me again and he knows that too. That is why he said I will be seeing you in the future. And I don't see him losing the belt anytime soon. He is good. I think I am the person to beat him. Yeah, my mission stays the same. Beat the next guy in front of me... Get back in the gym and do what I do with a great team."

Watch Robert Whittaker at the UFC 271 post-fight press conference below: