Whittaker On Adesanya's Saudi Arabia Fight

Robert Whittaker believes Israel Adesanya will handle Shara Magomedov convincingly when the former middleweight champion tries to end a four-fight slide at UFC Saudi Arabia next month.

Adesanya enters the Riyadh main event on his longest career losing streak, having dropped consecutive bouts to Joe Pyfer and Nassourdine Imavov in 2026. After the Pyfer loss raised questions about his future, the New Zealand striker overhauled his training camp and committed to another run.

Former Rival Backs Adesanya To Dominate In Riyadh

Speaking on the MMArcade podcast, Whittaker told listeners the primary obstacle facing Adesanya is mental rather than tactical. "I think the real fight here is Israel versus himself," Whittaker said, per Bloody Elbow and BJPenn.com. If the focused version of Adesanya appears in Saudi Arabia, Whittaker predicted a lopsided performance against the Russian contender.

The Australian fought Adesanya twice during their lengthy middleweight rivalry, suffering a knockout loss before pushing the champion to a tight decision at UFC 271. Whittaker's assessment carries weight given their history inside the cage.

Magomedov bounced back from his February loss to Michael Page by stopping three consecutive opponents, most recently beating Armen Petrosyan. The striking showcase happens in Riyadh next month.

Photo by Michael Starkie on Unsplash

Original reporting:

• bjpenn.com — Israel Adesanya's top rival expects him to 'beat the brakes' off of Shara 'Bullet' Magomedov to snap losing streak | BJPenn.com