Robert Whittaker’s 861-day wait to get revenge after losing his UFC title ended in disappointment

Israel Adesanya further proved his superiority over an all-time great four years ago today.

Adesanya is widely considered one of the best UFC fighters of all time, having enjoyed a lengthy reign as middleweight king that began to put him alongside Anderson Silva in their division’s hierarchy.

Among the Nigerian-New Zealander’s accolades inside the Octagon is an undefeated record in rematches.

He emerged victorious from both of his UFC redos, one of which took place on this day in 2022.

Robert Whittaker failed to avenge his loss to Israel Adesanya in their UFC 271 rematch

When it comes to rematches, most will first remember how Adesanya knocked out Alex Pereira in 2024 to regain the middleweight title. But he had endured a tougher test in his first UFC rematch a couple of years earlier.

The UFC 271 pay-per-view took place at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas, on February 12, 2022. After standout wins for the likes of Jared Cannonier, Tai Tuivasa, and Renato Moicano, the main card closed with Adesanya’s fourth defense of the middleweight crown.

‘The Last Stylebender’ was tasked with getting the better of the legendary Robert Whittaker for the second time, having unified the belts against the Australian three years earlier.

The first time around, Adesanya brutally knocked out Whittaker in Melbourne. He was unable to find the finish in their second dance but did still have his hand raised, doing enough to earn the nod from all three judges.

Unlike their first showdown, the rematch was a competitive five-round affair. In the immediate aftermath, Whittaker believed he had done enough to deserve a successful end to his 861-day wait for revenge on his longtime rival.

“I’m happy that I fought my heart out, but yeah, I’m gutted,” Whittaker said. “I thought I did enough.

“I know I started off rocky, but I thought I won every round after that,” he added.