Former UFC Rival Doesn’t Think Israel Adesanya Deserves a Rematch

By: Udit Pandit Image credit: UFC.com

[{"selector":"#anim-574908f9-70fb-4a9e-912b-a9c7a7c38918 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-58.815917563711665%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6b0423e7-8cd5-438f-99b0-de872e9fc612","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(1)","scale(1.5)","scale(0.95)","scale(1)"],"offset":[0,0.33,0.66,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1450,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":1}] [{"selector":"#anim-6f01e34c-f527-416c-89a4-7ee58091bfcf","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d03446b8-0283-4ab2-97b7-3d78fa5845d4","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-117.0418%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] After suffering a devastating defeat at UFC 293, 'The Last Stylebender, Israel Adesanya, has dropped his title twice over the past three fights, as this time, Sean Strickland outclassed Adesanya.

[{"selector":"#anim-1b65c526-54bc-40de-8a27-d341b0dc1312 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-62.423454295260036%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-81846583-64a6-4628-8a2d-b6daf5b42bb8","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(1)","scale(1.5)","scale(0.95)","scale(1)"],"offset":[0,0.33,0.66,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1450,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":1}] [{"selector":"#anim-8e817ccb-3955-4f63-93dd-a2decc7f3e18","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-316b782e-5139-4cc7-874b-127cea5bb8ea","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-117.76316%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] As UFC president Dana White lays out the possibility of a rematch between Strickland and Adesanya, a former rival of Adesanya thinks he should not get an immediate rematch.

[{"selector":"#anim-7b3eb2dd-ad9b-4af9-8ca0-566f10a6b961 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-59.39312344075941%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-bd6b0f9a-5a3a-41ff-841b-c7cfc132bfed","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(1)","scale(1.5)","scale(0.95)","scale(1)"],"offset":[0,0.33,0.66,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1450,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":1}] [{"selector":"#anim-36bc8e30-ccd8-41fe-ac5e-313915134453","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1c5997c3-5ed0-4630-9e5b-f9ce32b02eff","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-117.76316%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Robert Whittaker, who recently made an appearance at an interview with MMA Hour, stated that he believes that he shouldn't be having rematches, considering he is a 'premiere poster boy.'

[{"selector":"#anim-e2b03c64-5f33-49f8-85d9-6e6a901ec897 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(65.71533176162643%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4ef26e73-e606-4827-9dd3-28f6ca9b8fa7","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(1)","scale(1.5)","scale(0.95)","scale(1)"],"offset":[0,0.33,0.66,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1450,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":1}] [{"selector":"#anim-8e2c5efa-c99d-478e-a1ca-fb74cc78d4dc","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-81a6aeb8-dcda-4089-9467-33a722d9cc06","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-119.73685%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] “Let’s take fair out of the equation. Life isn’t fair, right? But I think it’s silly if Izzy gets an immediate rematch, because this isn’t his first loss as champion,” stated Whittaker.

[{"selector":"#anim-1e69b286-772c-4724-baee-b152a11e798f [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(7.99474405685242%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f455572c-d0e4-49ad-9e3c-8a13489e91e5","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(1)","scale(1.5)","scale(0.95)","scale(1)"],"offset":[0,0.33,0.66,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1450,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":1}] [{"selector":"#anim-d6741a91-4204-4391-8033-88182f1b5fef","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d960ac25-d923-4c05-9cc1-c840416623c5","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.78948%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Adding to his statement, Whittaker mentioned that booking the rematch would be a 'disservice' to the rest of the middleweight contenders and that the champion must have a say in the decision.

[{"selector":"#anim-bdb2476f-637d-4827-805e-9055ffa647df [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(12.468089603972409%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e0252d28-6add-49f8-bc91-c1ffa965efb4","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(1)","scale(1.5)","scale(0.95)","scale(1)"],"offset":[0,0.33,0.66,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1450,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":1}] [{"selector":"#anim-ce3a5907-e3ec-42ce-a18f-3b5b2a646c82","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-844ae113-0ec0-4891-9928-250d7b646b68","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-122.03948%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] “Honestly, I think [Strickland’s] opinion should have some weight to it. He’s on top of the pile right now. He should revel in it. He should enjoy it," Whittaker added.

[{"selector":"#anim-4577cfad-46c7-4dae-9b24-d4bbc298cdb9 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-12.206542992106654%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-efce7578-e928-4522-b8e0-26b05e11cca4","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(1)","scale(1.5)","scale(0.95)","scale(1)"],"offset":[0,0.33,0.66,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1450,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":1}] [{"selector":"#anim-ede5e804-95a2-4698-9dba-a872d9bfb012","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-53ce9274-46e5-47c0-b350-1eff57aa64ea","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-117.76316%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Many MMA fanatics and analysts attributed UFC 293's outcome to a 'slow performance' from Adesanya, but Whittaker credited the new champion for his game plan, which shackled Israel.

[{"selector":"#anim-fcb36f64-2441-4750-878c-05bd9d5da9df [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-9.897719483915699%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d20b5ecb-a215-40ad-9946-268ef9043217","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(1)","scale(1.5)","scale(0.95)","scale(1)"],"offset":[0,0.33,0.66,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1450,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":1}] [{"selector":"#anim-d8085b1d-37ca-4c79-a85a-f10d9d58bee5","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-25070f82-c67d-4f81-b384-8223ccc361f6","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.78948%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] It is still not confirmed whether the rematch will happen, and it is also a mystery as to who challenges the new champion, considering Paulo Costa and Khamzat Chimaev are set to face off at UFC 294.

Former UFC Rival Doesn’t Think Israel Adesanya Deserves a Rematch

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