In a surprising turn of events, former UFC middleweight champions Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker have transitioned from fierce rivals to training partners.
Adesanya recently shared photos and videos on social media showcasing their joint training sessions, captioning the post: “New year, new friends.”
This unexpected collaboration has garnered significant attention within the MMA community, given their storied rivalry. Adesanya first claimed the middleweight title by defeating Whittaker via knockout at UFC 243 in 2019, and later secured a unanimous decision victory in their rematch at UFC 271 in 2022.
Fans and fellow fighters have expressed enthusiasm for this development. Former UFC middleweight champion Alex Pereira commented “Chama,” while welterweight contender Stephen Thompson remarked, “Let’s go!!! Love seeing 2 martial artists with tremendous skills training together! #MuchRespect.” Former bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling added, “Love to see it!”
Adesanya is currently preparing for an upcoming bout against Nassourdine Imavov at UFC Fight Night in Riyadh. This event will also feature a co-main event between Shara Magomedov and Michael Page.
