Israel Adesanya believes that Robert Whittaker possesses a greater variety of skills to secure victory compared to Paulo Costa. Whittaker and Costa are set to face off in the co-main event of UFC 298, which will be broadcast on pay-per-view, ESPN, and ESPN+. The event will take place at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California.
Adesanya, a former middleweight champion, has previously defeated both fighters in title fights. However, he emphasizes the importance of Whittaker’s grappling abilities and believes that Costa’s approach is limited. Adesanya expressed his thoughts on his YouTube channel, stating that he expects Whittaker to utilize his wrestling skills against Costa.
While Adesanya acknowledges that landing takedowns may be challenging for Whittaker initially, he believes that Whittaker’s distance control, feints, and oblique kicks will be effective. Adesanya also suggests that Costa may underestimate Whittaker unless Whittaker can establish his dominance early in the fight with jabs, leg kicks, or right-hand strikes.
Adesanya advises Whittaker to avoid getting backed against the fence, as that is where Costa excels in applying pressure and utilizing his body work. To counter this, Adesanya recommends that Whittaker employ good footwork to stay away from the fence. Adesanya notes that Costa’s strategy primarily revolves around boxing and lacks diversity, particularly in his limited use of kicks. Adesanya believes that this limitation may work in Whittaker’s favor.
In Adesanya’s prediction, he envisions Whittaker emerging as the victor, winning by unanimous decision. Adesanya anticipates that Whittaker will secure a few takedowns during the fight. However, Adesanya also acknowledges that the outcome will depend on which version of Whittaker shows up on fight night. While Whittaker may have the potential to rock Costa, Adesanya ultimately doubts that this will occur.
According to the Source mmajunkie.usatoday.com