Robert Whittaker Forms Unlikely Friendship With Israel Adesanya

Robert Whittaker and Israel Adesanya were once bitter rivals in the UFC. On February 12, 2022, at UFC 271, Adesanya defeated Whittaker via decision.

Their rivalry has turned into mutual respect and friendship. Adesanya stated they understand each other better now, having both been champions.

Adesanya and Whittaker think alike and love fighting for the same reasons. They have put their past hostility behind them.

Adesanya described their friendship, saying **"We're all just kindred spirits on the same journey. One of the greatest in this game who's been at the heights of the heights. We understand, we understand each other and we're both just nerds who just like to kick a**"**.

Now, they even train together as they move into the final phase of their careers. Adesanya is set to fight next weekend on the UFC Seattle card.

He needs to return to form and demonstrate that he remains one of the best inside the octagon. This match is extremely important to him; should he lose this fight, too, there will likely be more discussion about retiring or how much is left in his career.

Adesanya started in the UFC in 2018 and is now 36 years old, near the end of his career. He has already done a lot in the sport, but lately, he has lost 4 of his last 5 fights.

Before his fight with Joe Pyfer, he said he still doesn’t know when he will retire. **"It's good to know but you can't really know. Only God knows"**, Adesanya said.

The outcome of his next fight will be crucial in determining his future in the UFC. As for Robert Whittaker, his friendship with Adesanya is a positive development in his career.

And their training sessions together will likely benefit both fighters. But for now, all eyes are on Adesanya's upcoming fight.

So, the UFC community waits with bated breath to see what's next for these two fighters.