'Not true': Israel Adesanya rips Rob Whittaker over post-fight claim

Israel Adesanya has lashed out at Rob Whittaker's suggestion he won their middleweight title fight at UFC 271 on Saturday.

Whittaker was left scratching his head after losing a tight, unanimous points decision in a rematch with Adesanya three years in the making.

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The Sydney fighter lost his title to the Nigerian-born New Zealand star in 2019, winning three times since then to earn the rematch in Houston.

And Whittaker showed he'd learnt plenty after that second-round knockout in Melbourne, pushing the heavy favourite in a unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 49-46).

However the Aussie thought the result should have gone the other way.

Whittaker (24-6 record) took the second round according to one judge, while the two other judges both agreed the Australian had won the final two rounds.

The champion had more significant blows, but four takedowns helped Whittaker's cause as he was left to lament what could have been in front of 16,000 fans at the Toyota Centre.

"I'm happy that I fought my heart out and left it here (but) I'm gutted, I thought I did enough," Whittaker said.

"I was surprised at how well my plan was working.

"I was surprised at how I executed and it was paying dividends, I was surprised at the decision, but it is what it is.

"He's the champ, he beat me for the second time now and that's that. We're the two best in the world, we know this."

Israel Adesanya blasts Rob Whittaker claim

But Adesanya wasn't having a bar of Whittaker's claims.

“I heard he thought he won the fight or some s***,” he said in his press conference.

“I don’t know what he and Victoria were sipping on... but f***ing hell, he did not win that fight. He knows it.

"He needs to have a shower and reflect and realise that is not true.

"You do not do enough to win a title, you take that belt.”

Adesanya, who is now 22-1, was pushed in his fourth title defence but remains unbeaten at the middleweight class.

He is eyeing another fight in June, likely against No.3 Jared Cannonier after he scored a brutal second-round submission win earlier in the night.

"I knew he was going to bring everything; he had nothing to lose. Like I said, I'm the champ, you want it, come get it," Adesanya said.

"He had been working on his boxing ... kudos to his boxing team and coach.

"I knew he was going to try and copy Jan's (Blachowicz, who beat him at light heavyweight) homework, but I'm the big dog in this yard so he couldn't take me down at all."

Adesanya's victory followed an incredible knockout win for Sydney heavyweight Tai Tuivasa over favourite Derrick Lewis in a lively co-main event.

with AAP

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