Over the past year and half, Israel Adesanya has quickly risen to the top of MMA. In April, he claimed an interim middleweight title by defeating Kelvin Gastelum in the current frontrunner for Fight of the Year, and in October, Adesanya will have the opportunity to make the big leap when he clashes with Robert Whittaker to unify the belts at UFC 243.
Ahead of their fight this fall, Adesanya and Whittaker have been getting increasingly chippy with one another in the media, which is particularly out of character for the normally reserved Whittaker.