Israel Adesanya: ‘Rob Whittaker Is Lacking Defensively And That’s Where I’ll Take Him’

UFC middleweight Israel Adesanya is a man on the rise and he’s got his sights set firmly on the UFC’s 185-pounds champion Robert Whittaker.

Adesanya was last in action at UFC 230 where he put on a clinical performance to defeat Derek Brunson inside of one round at Madison Square Garden.

Speaking after the fight, UFC President Dana White said that he already had an opponent in mind for Adesanya’s next fight and it appears that the two have come to an agreement. Speaking to Fox Sports Australia earlier today, Adesanya confirmed that he’d met with White and that a plan is now in place.

“We discussed my next fight and reached an agreement on who that opponent should be,” Adesanya said.

“So now I’m just waiting for the ‘OK’.”

With the champion Whittaker next facing Kelvin Gastelum at UFC 234 in February, Adesanya will have to wait his turn to get a crack at the title. When that opportunity finally comes around though, Adesanya says that he’s going to grab it with both hands and that he’s confident he has the tools to dethrone the Australian.

“I beat him wherever I want,” Adesanya said.

“If I’m being frank, Rob is lacking defensively and that’s where I’ll take him. And I can do that any way I want.

“I know he’s a fighter who wants to go out there and bust people up, but I’m not a guy you mess with.

“And once I’m champion, there will be a lot more eyes on this division. I’m the guy making s*** happen.”

Watch Adesanya’s UFC 230 post-fight press conference right here: