Israel Adesanya – Robert Whittaker friendship gets criticized and compared to legendary Mike Tyson rivalry: “Give me my money back”
One prominent individual in the UFC community raised questions about the newfound friendship between Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker.
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Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker's newfound friendship gets compared to Mike Tyson and Lennox Lewis' rivalry (Image via Instagram/talkSPORT)
Over the years, the UFC community has seen many intense rivalries among its fighters. However, there are rare instances when these fierce animosities transform into friendships. One surprising example is the relationship between former rivals and UFC middleweight champions Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker, who have reconciled and ignited a friendship.
The newfound friendship between Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker has generated a lot of buzz in the community. Many notable figures have shared their reactions to this development. Most recently, UFC Hall of Famer Chael Sonnen, who frequently discusses various intriguing topics related to the promotion, expressed his disappointment in seeing Adesanya and Whittaker getting along so well.
That’s a good way to go through life. There’s no reason to stay bitter at somebody but I don’t love it when all rivalries do go. I mean, I do feel an insincerity. I remember a night, Mike Tyson and Lennox Lewis, and they set the world on fire and Mike Tyson grabbed the microphone in the ring and said, ‘All the things I said about this man, I did not mean them, they were just promotion. I just respect this man.’ Mike Tyson did that and I remember sitting at home saying, ‘then give me my money back.’
Chael Sonnen said via his YouTube channel (Check from 8:33)
Sonnen was particularly furious about the notion of fighters with intense rivalries, making amends with each other. He noted similarities between the friendship between Adesanya and Whittaker and the reconciliation between Mike Tyson and Lennox Lewis. Interestingly, Tyson had a heated rivalry with Lewis at the latter half of his career.
However, Sonnen recalled that when ‘Iron Mike’ expressed appreciation for his rival, it made him furious. Likewise, Adesanya and Whittaker also shared notable rivalry against each other and fought each other twice. In both encounters, the Nigerian-born Kiwi fighter defeated the Australian fighter.
Notably, there was tension between them, as Whittaker even admitted to considering hitting Adesanya with his car. However, as they reconciled, Sonnen raised questions about how the Australian fighter could share good moments with someone who took away his championship belts. However, away from such concerns, Whittaker and Adesanya also shared training sessions ahead of the latter’s upcoming fight.
Alexander Volkanovski discusses Israel Adesanya’s preparation for the UFC Saudi Arabia fight
‘The Last Stylebender’ Israel Adesanya is set to face a rising prospect in the main event at UFC Saudi Arabia. The Nigerian-born Kiwi fighter will fight Nassourdine Imavov this coming weekend. As the fight approaches, Adesanya, in particular, has shared several updates showcasing his preparation for the matchup.
The City Kickboxing camp in New Zealand has a remarkable reputation for producing experienced MMA fighters and trainers. As Adesanya seeks to create more excitement in the UFC middleweight division, he is leaving no stone unturned in his training. Recently, Alexander Volkanovski, a teammate of Adesanya, expressed his confidence in him.
Obviously we’ve had a lot of five-round Spydas. At the back end of your career you probably wouldn’t expect to see the best Spydas you’ve ever done. But I literally, that is the best Spyda I have ever seen [Adesanya] do. Very, very happy I got to see that. Always confident in him, but seeing that work ethic and that work rate he just put there, mate, he’s going to be unstoppable.
Alexander Volkanovski via FREESTYLEBENDER on YouTube (Check from 7:11)
While Imavov has a completely different skill set than Adesanya, Volkanovski has no doubts about his teammate. This upcoming clash holds significant importance for ‘Izzy’, as he has lost two consecutive matches for the first time in his UFC career. As for Imavov, driven by the determination to transition from a prospect to a contender, the Frenchman will aim to bring his best performance to the fight.
Related: Why does Israel Adesanya hate Monster Energy? Is there a villain in this UFC lore?
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Nilaav Gogoi
(577 Articles Published)