Title Fight or Not, Robert Whittaker Would ‘Love to Run It Back’ with Israel Adesanya

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After relinquishing the middleweight crown to Israel Adesanya at UFC 243 last October, Robert Whittaker took some time away from the sport to reset his priorities.

During his run to the 185-pound title and subsequent reign, “The Reaper” began to experience burnout from the constant grind of training, traveling and fighting. So, he took a step back and focused on his family life.

Whittaker will return to the Octagon for the first time since that defeat when he squares off against Darren Till in the main event of UFC on ESPN 14 in Abu Dhabi on Saturday night. During a virtual media session, Whittaker was asked if the toll of two brutal five-round fights against Yoel Romero contributed to his hiatus.

“I don’t want to give all the credit for having a break to that guy,” Whittaker said with a laugh. “He’s a terrible fight. He’s a hard guy to fight on the best days.

“The reason for my break was a combination of my last five years. A lot of things have changed. Who I was five years ago isn’t who I am today. My life has changed in multiple ways. I have three more kids today than I had then. I just don’t think I let myself acclimatize to it all.”

Although the belt is not an immediate concern, Whittaker claims that he still has the drive to compete.

“Honestly, nothing’s changed with my hunger to fight,” he said. “My hunger to fight before was the exact same as it is now. The belt was always just a consequence of winning. And I want to win. I want to fight.”

From 2014 to 2018, Whittaker did the winning thing well, authoring a nine-bout streak that included victories over the likes of Romero (twice), Ronaldo Souza, Derek Brunson and Uriah Hall. He acknowledged that he’d like to get an opportunity to avenge the loss to Adesanya, the man who ended that run.

“At one point in time I’d love to run that back,” he said. “Just as a competitor and as a fighter, I don’t like knowing the fact that I lost to someone in combat. To me, that is terrible. I’d like to get that back someday, whether it’s for the belt or not.”

Adesanya is expected to make his next title defense against Paulo Henrique Costa at UFC 253 in September. Whittaker doesn’t have a solid prediction on how that matchup of undefeated middleweights will play out.

“I think Adesanya has the skill set necessary to beat him, but Costa is dangerous in many different aspects,” Whittaker said. “We’re gonna wait and see.”

More pressing matters are at hand, of course. Till, a former welterweight title challenger, made a successful 185-pound debut at UFC 244 in November, when he took a split verdict over Kelvin Gastelum at Madison Square Garden. Whittaker is confident he has the tools to defeat the Liverpool, England, native.

“I think he’s a very dangerous opponent. He’s obviously got a dangerous skillset coming into it,” Whittaker said. “But l think I just have the more complete skillset. I think I’m just sliglhtly better in all angles. I look to make good use of all my weapons.”

Should Whittaker defeat Till at UFC on ESPN 14, he already has one interested suitor for a future fight. After quickly dispatching Gastelum with a first-round heel hook in the UFC Fight Night 172 co-main event last weekend, Jack Hermansson called for a meeting with the winner of Whittaker vs. Till.

For now, Whittaker isn’t looking too far ahead.

“Who knows? It’s hard to say. I guess we can talk after I get the job done,” he said. “It’s gonna be a hard fight [against Till]. We’re gonna get in there, and I’ve got to take it from him. It’s very hard for me to plan anything past [Saturday].”