The pair will face off at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas on 12 February, with Whittaker looking to avenge his 2019 defeat to Adesanya.
Their first clash was a middleweight unification battle in UFC 243 after both fighters had picked up interim titles; Whittaker with a unanimous-decision win over Yoel Romero in 2017, Adesanya 2 years later against Kelvin Gastelum. It was Adesanya who came out on top in their meeting with a 2nd-round knockout victory thanks to his trademark striking.
It marked Whittaker’s (23-5) first defeat since February 2014, and it’s fair to say he’s bounced back well from the set-back. The 31-year-old has wasted no time in getting back to winning ways, having rattled off 3 consecutive victories over Darren Till, Jared Cannonier, and Gastelum.
As for Adesanya (21-1), he has successfully defended his middleweight belt on 3 occasions against Romero, Paulo Costa, and Marvin Vettori. However, prior to the unanimous-decision win over Vettori last June came the sole defeat of the 32-year-old's career, when he attempted to move up to light heavyweight and was dispatched by champion Jan Błachowicz.
There’s no love lost between the fighters and there’s a geographical element to their rivalry, too; Adesanya was born in Nigeria but moved to Auckland, New Zealand when he was 10, while Whittaker was born in Auckland but has lived in Australia since he was 1 month old. All in all, it should make for an electrifying rematch.
Upper-level tickets start at USD $151, while VIP hospitality packages – which include weigh-in access and more – start at $450.
