Israel Adesanya had lost to Dricus du Plessis at UFC 305 but their feud about the ‘real African’ fighter got resolved. Even though Izzy lost he was in good spirits and even threw a flying kiss to DDP. However, fans and veterans alike were shocked by the turn of events and even tried to reason out the cause of Adesanya’s loss. One of the speculators was Alex Pereira who thought Izzy might have been injured so he did not use his iconic leg kicks. and many others gave additional reasons.

However, Robert Whittaker, who had fought against Adesanya before and lost, had other judgments. He liked Adesanya’s game and complimented him but not without saying why he lost.

Robert Whittaker gives solid verdict on Israel Adesanya’s loss

While speaking to Submission Radio he spoke about Du Plessis (22-2 MMA, 8-0 UFC) and Adesanya (24-4 MMA, 13-4 UFC). DDP retained his middleweight title after submitting ‘The Last Stylebender’  in round four at UFC 305. However, Whittaker was shocked by how well the South African was able to perform. Nevertheless, he pointed out why Izzy lost. Whittaker said, “Yeah I thought Adesanya looked spectacular. This is probably the best version we saw of him. He was very effective he looked in his groove he was landing big shots. But man DDP is one of those guys that honestly If you don’t kill him he’s going to win the fight.”

After the back and forth for three rounds Du Plessis was able to take the game for himself and lunged forward with shots of his own. Whittaker broke down the fight while speaking to MMA Arcade and said that Addison had a great chin he took the necessary shots but his opponent saw them and got the table down then jumped back immediately with lightning-fast instinct.

‘Stillknocks’ managed to do what many fighters cannot and submitted Adesanya even when he looked exhausted. People even thought Adesanya might have been injured during the fight due to which he did not use his leg kicks. However, he gave an explanation for that.

Israel Adesanya denies injury before UFC 305

Alex Pereira is struggling to believe that the South African champ could have beaten Israel Adesanya so decisively. Having fought Adesanya multiple times, Pereira speculated that the Nigerian fighter must have been injured. However, it turns out that there was no medical issue for Adesanya, despite rumors of a leg wound circulating after the fight. These rumors began after Pereira expressed surprise that Adesanya wasn’t throwing his signature leg kicks during the bout.

In response to the speculation, Adesanya took to social media, dismissing the gossip with a pointed comment: “I just said, ‘he knows my style.’ Go touch some grass, please,” urging fans to stop spreading unfounded theories. Now facing two consecutive losses, Adesanya finds himself in a challenging situation. He may have to fight his way back through the contenders in the 185-pound division or even consider a move down. Despite these setbacks, Adesanya seems undeterred and in good spirits, particularly after a recent visit to his homeland of Nigeria.

Adesanya returned to Nigeria for the first time since 2019, and although he came back to his home country on the heels of a loss, the reception was nothing short of euphoric. The streets of Lagos were alive with vibrant performances and colorful celebrations, welcoming him with open arms. The two-time champion found renewed energy and clarity from the visit. “Energy never dies; it can be passed on and amplified. Bless the future, bless my people, their flame inspired me,” he shared on X, reflecting on the profound impact the trip had on him.

As Adesanya looks ahead to 2025, fans are eager to see what he has in store. Will he make a triumphant comeback and reclaim his spot at the top? Share your thoughts and predictions in the comments below!