Israel Adesanya expressed excitement and positivity about training with former opponent Robert Whittaker, transforming their rivalry into a friendship and collaboration, and he is open to similar partnerships with other past opponents like Alex Pereira in the future.
Israel Adesanya recently shared some heartwarming moments, training with his former opponent Robert Whittaker. They were preparing for Whittaker’s upcoming fight against Nassourdine Imavov at UFC Saudi Arabia.
Despite their past clashes, Adesanya and Whittaker never had any personal animosity. So when Whittaker’s coach suggested a change in training scenery, reaching out to City Kickboxing’s Eugene Bareman, Adesanya was all in.
“I was excited. I said f*ck yeah, he can pull up anytime,” Adesanya told MMA Fighting. He was thrilled to see Whittaker at the gym on a Monday, calling it a feel-good moment for the MMA community.
Adesanya is no stranger to having a plethora of training partners, including several UFC fighters. But adding Whittaker to the mix? That was an unexpected delight.
Teaming up with another fighter from his side of the world rather than staying adversaries was something Adesanya cherished. “Having a guy with his skill set, his experience… it’s always nice,” he remarked.
“100 percent, Anzacs united,” Adesanya emphasized. He’d rather build together with Whittaker and prepare the next generation for global challenges.
As he gears up for Imavov, Adesanya found Whittaker’s input invaluable, even if it was brief. “Even if he didn’t train with me, having him around would have been beneficial,” he admitted.
Training with Whittaker brought new insights and shared energy. Adesanya looks forward to future collaborations and plans to visit Whittaker as well.
Now that they’ve worked together, both fighters agree there’s little chance they’ll face each other in the octagon again. In fact, Adesanya now sees Whittaker as a friend and teammate.
“As it should be,” Adesanya said about their continued partnership. They’ve done so much for the sport on their side of the world, strengthening the Anzac bond.
With Whittaker now a friend, could another past rival become a training partner? Alex Pereira comes to mind—a name that piques curiosity due to their storied history.
Adesanya doesn’t have immediate plans but envisions working with Pereira someday. Their rivalry feels settled to him; why not join forces eventually?
“Yeah definitely down the road,” Adesanya mused about teaming up with Pereira. For now, though, timing and logistics haven’t aligned.
He respects Pereira and acknowledges their mutual understanding. “It will happen one day,” Adesanya concluded—when? Only time will tell.