UFC 290: One step at a time for Robert Whittaker, but spoiling Israel Adesanya’s plans for Sydney card would be ‘cherry on top’

Robert Whittaker will look to earn his 13th win in the UFC's middleweight division this weekend at UFC 290. Photo / Getty Images

When Robert Whittaker steps into the octagon at UFC 290, he can kill two birds with one stone.

Whittaker, the UFC’s No 2-ranked middleweight, meets No 5 Dricus du Plessis on Sunday in Las Vegas. A win keeps Whittaker at the top of the division and he likely earns the right to challenge for Israel Adesanya’s title at UFC 293 in Sydney in September.

With a 12-2 record at middleweight, the first New Zealand-born UFC champion has proven himself to be the next-best in the promotion behind Adesanya with Alex Pereira moving up a division, however the two losses on his record in the division are courtesy of Adesanya.

Because of that, a third fight between the two shapes as a hard sell – though Oceania would be about the only market to get excited by it, particularly in Sydney where Whittaker resides – and Adesanya has openly said he is manifesting a win for South Africa’s du Plessis in this weekend’s contest.

Adesanya’s desire to fight du Plessis is two-fold: it would be an opponent he is yet to fight, and du Plessis’ comments about Nigerian-born Adesanya not being a true African champion because he lives in New Zealand did not go down well with The Last Stylebender.

With that narrative going on in the background, a win for Whittaker would well and truly spoil the plans of his Kiwi rival.

“That’s just the cherry on top. I don’t really think about it. I don’t listen to [Israel] too much,” Whittaker joked.

“There’s a certain level of drive that comes with the profession and being an athlete and a fighter and a warrior that wants to get back at Izzy and get back that title, you know?

“But they’re just drives and desires as a professional, but my biggest drive comes from my family. I have a reason to fight, and that’s powerful.”

While a possible date against Adesanya awaits, Whittaker has not allowed himself to lift his sights beyond what is directly in front of him.

Du Plessis is 5-0 since joining the UFC, with four of those wins coming by stoppage. He is an awkward and, at times, messy fighter who has looked to be in trouble several times in his UFC tenure, only to turn things around and pick up the win, usually in emphatic fashion.

Whittaker has taken notice, particularly of du Plessis’ willingness to keep coming forward regardless of how the fight is playing out and his ability to stay in the fight.

It’s a stylistic match-up that could throw another curveball into the hopes of a title shot in Sydney. If the winner of the fight is injured, their hopes of showing up in Sydney ready for a title fight would be slim as just nine weeks separate the two cards.

The Herald understands the UFC would still attempt to keep Adesanya on the Sydney card in that situation against another opponent. If that were to unfold, Sean Strickland (No 7) could be the preferred option as he is coming off an impressive second-round TKO win and has not fought Adesanya. Jared Cannonier (No 3) could also be an option, though Adesanya beat him last July.

But those are all hypotheticals. For Whittaker, doing what he needs to this weekend is the only target, and the other pieces of the puzzle will fall into place after the fight is over – one way or another.

“This weekend is all that has been in my sights and is all that exists to me until it’s done. It’s a dangerous fight, mate,” Whittaker said.

“People very much underestimate [du Plessis], just in the fact that he’s nothing flashy, but he’s always there. He can be so close to defeat, yet still get the victory somehow. It’s not luck. He’s a tough dude; he’s a dog and I understand the danger he’s going to bring as a man who’s got nothing to lose and everyone’s already counted out.

“That’s a dangerous mix for anyone, so I’ve shown him respect, I’ve been training like a madman for the last 14 weeks, and I’m going to put my best foot forward this weekend and see how he handles it.”

Christopher Reive joined the Herald sports team in 2017, bringing the same versatility to his coverage as he does to his sports viewing habits.