Israel Adesanya expects to fight Robert Whittaker for the UFC middleweight title in Sydney this September, but wants their hyped trilogy showdown to be held outdoors at an NRL stadium.
In a huge boost for Australian fight fans, UFC 293 has been confirmed for the Harbour City on September 10 – although no venue has yet been announced.
Only last month UFC president Dana White suggested Adesanya would headline the Sydney blockbuster, with his opponent set to be determined by an upcoming eliminator between Whittaker and South Africa’s Dricus du Plessis.
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Given that fight will take place at UFC 290 in July however, the winner will have only nine weeks to then prepare for the New Zealand superstar.
Despite the incredibly tight turnaround, Fox Sports Australia can reveal Whittaker and his team have already told UFC officials they are OK with those terms and ready to go on what would be an incredible title run.
Speaking on his Youtube channel Freestylebender on Thursday, Adesanya also confirmed himself ready to headline Sydney’s September card.
When asked who he expected to face, the champ backed Australia’s Bobby Knuckles — rating him as a “70 per cent” chance to get it done against du Plessis.
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Elsewhere, Adesanya also revealed he had initially asked UFC boss White to fight du Plessis first, and as early as July, inside Las Vegas’s Allegiant Stadium – aka The Death Star.
The popular Kiwi also said he wanted the Sydney event to be at a stadium, especially given his first fight with Whittaker drew 57,127 fans – the biggest live audience in UFC history.
Asked if it was definite that he would now wait until September to fight, Adesanya said: “Now it is.
“But before that, I was July.
“I tried to do du Plessis in the f…ing Death Star … maybe not International Fight Week, because that was already booked. But I tried it for later on.
“(I said) give it to me. It’s already there.
“So what’s the point? Why wait.”
Instead, the UFC will have Whittaker and du Plessis fight for the right to face Adesanya – albeit on a seriously short turnaround.
Asked his initial thoughts on the UFC middleweight eliminator, and what percentage chance he gives his Trans Tasman rival of winning, Adesanya continued: “Aaah … hmmm … this is the game we play.
“Right now, I say Rob can probably get him out of there in the second round. Or just beat him up for three rounds.
“Dricus’s only chance – and I don’t like to say there is no way because there’s always a way – but he can’t outlast Rob. I think Rob is faster than him, fitter than him, so he might just have to make it ugly.
“Rob likes to fight ugly as well. So we’ll see.
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“So Rob, 70 (per cent) … but I really want Dricus, maybe that’s why I’m being biased.”
Back in 2019, Adesanya took the middleweight from Whittaker at UFC 243 – via second round knockout, and in front of some 57,000 fans at Melbourne’s Marvel Arena.
Then three years later, at UFC 271, Adesanya again got it done against Whittaker, although this time via a far more contentious decision win.
So as for having any drama about now fighter ‘The Reaper’ for a third time, only this time in his backyard?
“No,” the champ said.
“I think there is another story there.
“It’s in a new State, and city in Australia. Another stadium, I’m sure.”
Reminded there was no covered stadium in Sydney, Adesanya said he was actually frustrated when good friend and UFC featherweight champ Alexander Volkanovski was not given a big stadium fight against Islam Makhachev at UFC 284 in February.
Instead, that card was held inside Perth’s RAC Arena, before a crowd of just over 14,000.
In its entire history however, the UFC has only ever hosted a handful of events outdoors.
Still, Adesanya hinted that he wanted to headline an Australian football stadium, laughing: “It will be a nice day … a sunshiney day”.
“I feel like Perth, Islam versus Volk, I remember feeling frustrated,” Adesanya said.
“I even talked to Mick (Maynard, UFC matchmaker) and said ‘why wasn’t this fight in a stadium?’.
“But this one, yeah, it will be a nice day. It can be in Sydney, I like Sydney.
“It will be a nice day.
“Sunshiney day.”
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While Adesanya will face the winner of Whittaker versus Du Plessis, a CityKickboxing team-mate has suggested the South African should have taken an easier path to the title.
During a recent appearance on Submission Radio, New Zealand lightweight Dan Hooker said Du Plessis was in a prime position to secure a title shot without competing against another contender.
Hooker suggested the middleweight should have called for a “more winnable” clash against others in the division, like Sean Strickland.
“I don’t think Dricus had to beat Rob,” Hooker said.
“I feel like he played that a little bit (wrong).
“Dricus probably could have got the title shot off of not fighting anyone. Who’s the next logical next step?
“I’m not saying he’s got no chance of beating Rob. I’m just saying it’s the toughest fight in the division, and he didn’t need to take that risk.
“I feel like he could have beat Sean Strickland and he would have got a title shot.
“If I had to fight Sean Strickland or Rob Whittaker, I would fight Sean Strickland.
“It’s a better stylistic matchup for him and it’s a much more winnable fight. I just feel like he played that a little wrong.”
