“It Upsets Me So Much” – Still Disheartened, Robert Whittaker Rues Over Missed Chance Against Dricus Du Plessis as Israel Adesanya Loss Opens Up Title Shot Talks

UFC’s International Fight Week, way back in July, did not disappoint fans at all! Why? Well, nine out of thirteen fights on the UFC 290 PPV ended in a finish. However, Dricus Du Plessis’ TKO win over Robert Whittaker in the PPV’s co-main middleweight clash stood out the most. But the TKO loss at the hands of ‘Stillknocks’ was a bitter pill for ‘The Reaper’ to swallow.

Now, two months after his disheartening loss, Whittaker has finally come out with a heartfelt confession about his feelings ever since the loss. Let’s hear what the Australian MMA artist says about his feelings after his UFC 290 loss.

Robert Whittaker makes a heartfelt in the aftermath of UFC 290 loss

Robert Whittaker was recently featured on The MMA Hour hosted by Ariel Helwani. The MMA journalist kicked off the interview with a poignant question: “It’s only been two months. Do you feel like you’re over July? Or is that only coming the next time you fight?”

“I don’t think I’m over it because it pissed me off!” Whittaker confessed. The night of the fight haunted him because he believed he didn’t perform at his best. Instead of trying to forget it, he plans to use the frustration as fuel for his future endeavors. 

He further revealed: “I’ve been just locking myself in the gym – training myself to be better – to just take it to that next level. This isn’t – I don’t want to have this sort of end [in] career. I do believe the best of me hasn’t yet come out…”

Whittaker’s candid confession sheds light on the complex emotions that fighters experience after a loss and the determination to evolve and come back stronger. But why is ‘The Reaper’ upset even after two months of his loss?

Ariel Helwani’s interview brings out the unyielding spirit of Robert Whittaker

Helwani probed further, asking Whittaker about the factors contributing to his subpar performance. ‘The Reaper’ admitted that it’s easy to find reasons in hindsight but pointed out, “I just know – personally, that night[UFC 290] when I got in there, I wasn’t thinking about the fight. I didn’t feel myself for whatever reason…”

The frustration stemmed from the fact that, in some of his past fights, Whittaker had given it his all and still fallen short. He explained, “It upsets me so much – because – it’s like with that first Israel fight. There’s times I go into fights and I give it a good odd crack – and I come out short. I understand that! It doesn’t take the brunt away from it. But I know I fought a good fight, and I went out there to the best of my capabilities at the time…”

Read More: Robert Whittaker Opens Up on “Scary Individual” Dricus du Plessis as UFC 290 Opponent Feuds With Israel Adesanya Over African Heritage

Furthermore, ‘The Reaper’ has also made a scathing remark about former middleweight champ Israel Adesanya – he argues that “it’s silly” for ‘Izzy’ to get a rematch after the way he lost the title to Sean Strickland.

In the shadows of defeat, Robert Whittaker finds the motivation to shine brighter, and his journey is far from over. With each challenge he encounters, he moves one step closer to realizing his full potential—a potential that promises to amaze fight fans worldwide. Moreover, Israel Adesanya’s title loss might have just opened up a title shot for ‘The Reaper.’

‘The Reaper’ may have faced a setback, but his spirit remains unbroken, and his story in the world of MMA is far from being written in its entirety. What do you think of this heartfelt confession from the Australian UFC icon? Drop your thoughts in the comments below!

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