Robert Whittaker makes prediction for Adesanya vs. Blachowicz fight

Former UFC middleweight champ Robert Whittaker has made a prediction for the upcoming fight between Israel Adesanya and Jan Blachowicz.

Adesanya, the reigning UFC middleweight champion, and Blachowicz, the promotion’s new light heavyweight champ, are expected to fight for the latter’s title sometime in the new year.

Having fought Adesanya in 2019, losing by second-round knockout, Whittaker is well positioned to comment on the outcome of this fight. He did so on the latest episode of Submission Radio.

“Yeah, I do,” Whittaker said when asked he thinks Adesanya will beat Blachowicz. “I think his striking is just so much better. Jan’s got that big power, but Israel doesn’t really get hit that much. I think this is a picture-perfect time for Izzy to try and take that belt away from the division, for sure.”

Since losing the middleweight title to Adesanya, Whittaker has gone 2-0, winning a pair of impressive decisions over top contenders in Darren Till and Jared Cannonier. On the heels of these wins, he feels he’s earned a rematch with Adesanya, and would be willing to accept that rematch at middleweight or light heavyweight.

“I’ve already earned the right to [a rematch],” he said. “I’ve already earned that right to fight for a title. That’s what that fight with Jared was. That fight was number one contender.

“What’s funny was, everyone was telling Jared, like, ‘you win this fight, you get a shot at the title.’ No one was saying that to me. That’s what this fight is, and that’s the right I earned. I earned a shot at a title. So, that’s where I’m at.

“I’ll fight Izzy one way or another: middleweight, light heavyweight, whatever,” Whittaker added.

If Whittaker did meet Adesanya at light heavyweight, he’s not sure how the fight would unfold, recognizing that the extra weight could be a big factor.

“It couldn’t be the same fight [as the first],” he said. “It’s hard to say, cause I don’t know how I’m going to move with the heavier weight set. Cause, generally, I like training lighter, I like fighting lighter. I move faster, my cardio’s better. It’s very hard to say, it’s very hard to say. I’ll have to make some adjustments to my body in order to try and get that speed going and that cardio and movement at a heavier weight.”

Does a rematch between Robert Whittaker and Israel Adesanya interest you?