When Robert Whittaker steps into the cage to face Israel Adesanya next weekend at UFC 243, it will be his first fight in over a year and only his second in the last 29 months.
His last two fights -- both epic battles against Yoel Romero -- punctuated long layoffs due to injury or illness, including the hernia surgery that forced him out of a scheduled title defense against Kelvin Gastelum this April, opening the door for Adesanya to edge out Gastelum for the interim middleweight title.
During Wednesday’s UFC 243 conference call, Whittaker was asked if his long layoff from fighting will affect him when he comes face-to-face with the Nigerian-born New Zealand based Adesanya.