‘As Much as I Hate to Say’- Conor McGregor’s Coach Gives His Verdict on Israel Adesanya vs Robert Whittaker at UFC 271

Published 02/05/2022, 6:38 AM EST

UFC 271 is getting closer as the days go by. A middleweight title bout between Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker will headline the event.

Ahead of the duo’s second collision on February 12, Conor McGregor’s coach, John Kavanagh, gave his thoughts on the upcoming bout. In an interview with Main Event, Kavanagh said that he is leaning more towards ‘The Last Stylebender’ to win at UFC 271.

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He said, “I hate to pick one over the other because I think they’re both fantastic fighters. But I probably due to the way they match up. Due to stylistic reasons, I would lean towards Israel, repeating what he did before already. But that’s not to say, it’s not a 55-45 fight, it’s very very close. Whittaker’s had some great wins since that loss. But Izzy is just, I just think he’s very, very special.”

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Kavanagh added, “He just has an air of invincibility around him. He just has a grace and move and that’s a joy to watch. So yeah, as much as I hate to say, I would lean toward the Style Bender.”

Prediction for UFC 271 Israel Adesanya vs. Robert Whittaker 2

The two middleweights will face off in one of the most exciting cards of this year, and both will try their best to get their hand raised and walk away with the title. The last time they faced each other, Adesanya absolutely outclassed the Australian in every aspect of the game. However, both have come a long way ever since then.

Among the duo, Adesanya is technically far ahead of Whittaker in the striking field. He is undoubtedly one of the most intricate strikers on the roster right now. ‘The Reaper’ is also a terrific striker and throws with power, which can be dangerous for ‘The Last Stylebender’.

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The only way Whittaker can give the champion some real competition is if he takes the fight to the ground. He has promised to do so this time.

However, the champion has some great takedown defense as well and will have taken valuable lessons from his fight against Jan Blachowicz. Hence, Adesanya will come into the octagon as a favorite at UFC 271.

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What do you make of Kavanagh’s pick?

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Pranit Punjabi is a UFC author at EssentiallySports. A third-year psychology major, this Justin Gaethje fan merged his interest in psychology with his deep passion for MMA and was intrigued by this new angle to help him get closer to the action. Pranit aims to look through the violence and chaos, into what makes MMA truly beautiful, the deep and rich psychological aspect of the game.

‘As Much as I Hate to Say’- Conor McGregor’s Coach Gives His Verdict on Israel Adesanya vs Robert Whittaker at UFC 271

Prediction for UFC 271 Israel Adesanya vs. Robert Whittaker 2

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