UFC

Israel Adesanya thought there was little room for doubt about his unanimous decision over Robert Whittaker at UFC 271 on Saturday.

Whittaker said he was "gutted" and believed he "did enough" to walk away with the victory.

Adesanya politely disagreed.

"He did not win that fight, and he knows it," the middleweight champion said, per ESPN's Marc Raimondi. "He needs to go have a shower as well and reflect and realize that's not true. ... You don't do 'enough' to win the title. You take the belt. That's how this works."

The judges scored it 48-47, 48-47 and 49-46 in favor of Adesanya. 

Whittaker secured four takedowns, but Adesanya had a clear advantage in striking. He finished with 98 total strikes and 79 signature strikes, with Whittaker landing 74 and 59, respectively. The champ also recorded a knockdown in the first round to gain an early edge.

Adesanya made a concerted effort to attack Whittaker's legs, with 29 of his signature strikes targeted at his opponent's lower body.

It was yet another efficient performance from a fighter whose only professional loss came when he moved up a weight class to vie for the light heavyweight title.

To the extent the champion's advantage provides any tangible benefit, it seems like the only shot of toppling Adesanya is for an opponent to submit him or knock him out.

The 32-year-old has now made four successful title defenses, the second-most ever in the middleweight division behind Anderson Silva's 10. He's so skilled and unflappable in the Octagon.

If you're fighting Adesanya and you wind up leaving it to the judges, you've already lost.

Jan Blachowicz wrote the playbook. 

Last year about this time, when Israel Adesanya paused his dismantling of the UFC middleweight division to try his luck at light heavyweight, Blachowicz was there to welcome him. Then the champ at 205 pounds, Blachowicz used well-timed takedowns, sheer bulk and the threat of his curtain-closing power to keep Adesanya under control long enough to hand the middleweight champ his first loss in pro MMA.

The playbook was there for all to see, but Robert Whittaker reminded us all Saturday night that drawing it up is only step one. Challenging Adesanya for the middleweight strap in the main event of UFC 271, Whittaker was routinely turned away on takedown attempts and hammered with leg kicks as he attempted to close distance. Although Whittaker fared better than he did in their original bout in 2019, which ended in a second-round knockout, Whittaker still came up short with a unanimous decision defeat, 48-47, 48-47, 49-46.

"I knew he was going to bring everything, because last time I took everything away from him," Adesanya told broadcaster Daniel Cormier in the cage after the fight. "So he had nothing to lose. … I hurt his leg. And once he realized it was hurt, he was really tentative and defensive with it. I knew he was going to copy Jan’s homework, but I'm the big dog in this yard, so he couldn't take me down at all." 

It's the fourth straight title defense for Adesanya, now 32 years old and 22-1 in pro MMA. This rematch was considered the last best chance for the middleweight division to dethrone him. 

Even so, one final challenge awaits Adesanya in the middleweight division. But we'll get back to that.

As for Saturday, call it a close but clear victory for Adesanya, one that didn't contain a lot of pyrotechnics but was did serve as a strategic necessity given the approach many suspected the challenger would take. Whittaker does, after all, possess high-level MMA wrestling, the kind that could allow him to mimic Blachowicz's winning formula. 

The biggest offensive moment of the entire fight came in the first round, a straight right hand from Adesanya that landed flush on Whittaker's mug and sent him right to the canvas. But one thing you have to understand about Bobby Knuckles: he's a tough customer. He sprang back to his feet and skated away before Adesanya could do any more damage.

Still, the first was probably the clearest win for the champ, as he outlanded Whittaker 34-21 in significant strikes, 11 of which were leg kicks, per UFC stats.

The second was closer, and contained lots of action-packed sequences including a razor-sharp Adesanya punch combination in the opening moments. Whittaker threw with significantly more volume and landed his only takedown attempt of the round, even if Adesanya got right back to his feet. In the striking phase, the champ continued to pound the leg kicks, while Whittaker used the clinch to rack up about a minute of control time as a result. 

Knuckles got another takedown in the third, but with the same result. Blachowicz weighs at least 20 pounds more than Whittaker and has a lot of that old Polish man strength, and that sheer size and strength gave Blachowicz advantages that simply weren’t available to Whittaker.

It’s not that he couldn’t take Adesanya down at all—he ultimately converted 4-of-10—but when he did, Adesanya bounced back up like he was spring-loaded. Whittaker was sometimes able to cling on with a body lock for a while, but nothing much more consequential than that.

Many of the exchanges ended up being trading kicks, with Adesanya going inside and out on the knee and calf and Whittaker preferring oblique kicks. Punching exchanges would showed power and precision from both men, but nothing that created fight-altering damage.

The final round saw Whittaker sell out on the takedowns, attempting four of them, the most of any round. Sadly for him, only one connected. A decent chunk of the round was spent in the clinch as a few boo birds began to serenade the competitors from the Toyota Center rafters.

This less-than-scintillating victory combined with the previous knockout probably spells an end to the Izzy-Knuckles saga. So who's next for the champ? 

Adesanya's coach, Eugene Bareman, said this week that a return to 205 is inevitable. Now look at the middleweight rankings, where you'll basically see a list of guys Adesanya has already beaten, and none with a great deal of difficulty: Marvin Vettori (twice), Derek Brunson, Paulo Costa and so on. This is not a deep division.

With just one exception: a thunder-fisted converted heavyweight named Jared Cannonier. And hey, what's this? As fate would have it, Cannonier also fought on Saturday's card, forcing a rare corner stoppage with brutal elbow strikes on a game Brunson. It was enough to earn Cannonier a post-fight bonus. 

If Cannonier hadn't made such a violent statement, there might not have been as much energy around a date with the champ, but Cannonier did what top fighters do: he rose to the occasion.

"I want the title shot next," Cannonier told Cormier in the cage after his win. "I get it next. Nobody else. Me next."

After his win, Adesanya was quick to return the call-out, all but cementing the deal.

"I know the dog Jared Cannonier did some work tonight, so I'll be ready in June," Adesanya said.

In the post-fight presser, UFC prez Dana White also said he'd like to make the match, though he wasn't sure if June was possible. 

So there we have it. Adesanya would likely be a substantial favorite in that matchup, but it's still interesting enough, especially with Cannonier's power, to move it out of the foregone-conclusion level.

This isn't quite Anderson Silva-Thales Leites territory, but if Adesanya wins this, a long gray line of mismatches isn't far away. As a result, we could see him back at light heavyweight sooner rather than later. Until then, bask in the greatness of the best non-Silva middleweight in history, and look forward to what could be his last great barnburner in the division he owns.

An Israel Adesanya striking showcase and a stunning knockout from Tai Tuivasa headlined UFC 271 from the Toyota Center in Houston.  

The main event did not fail to deliver an intriguing fight. Whittaker once again struggled to find ways to close the distance against the longer and quicker Adesanya.

The reigning champion chewed up Whittaker's lead leg with kicks and was sharp on the counters when Whittaker tried to force the issue. 

Unlike the first fight when Adesanya knocked out Whittaker in the second round, Bobby Knuckles had a few answers. He scored a handful of takedowns and had some success in doubling up his jab. However, neither of those answers were enough to change the result. 

Ultimately, it wasn't the flashiest performance from Adesanya. He controlled the fight well and had an easier time winning the rounds he won. 

With Jared Cannonier also claiming a big victory he could be the next to challenge Adesanya. Here's a look at the complete results from the night. 

Main Card

• Israel Adesanya def. Robert Whittaker via unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 49-46)
• Tai Tuivasa def. Derrick Lewis via second-round knockout (1:40)
• Jared Cannonier def. Derek Brunson via second-round TKO (4:29) 
• Renato Moicano def. Alexander Hernandez via submission (rear-naked choke) (R2, 1:23)
• Bobby Green def. Nasrat Haqparast via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)

Prelims

• Andrei Arlovski def. Jared Vanderaa via split decision (29-28 x2, 28-29)
• Casey O'Neill def. Roxanne Modafferi via split decision (29-28 x2, 28-29)
• Kyler Phillips def. Marcelo Rojo via submission (triangle armbar) (Round 3, 1:48)
• Carlos Ulberg def. Fabio Cherant via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
• Ronnie Lawrence def. Mana Martinez via unanimous decision (29-27 x2, 29-28)
• Jacob Malkoun def. AJ Dobson via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)
• Douglas Silva de Andrade def. Sergey Morozov via submission (rear-naked choke) (Round 2, 3:24)
• Jeremiah Wells def. Blood Diamond via submission (rear-naked choke) (Round 1, 4:38)
• Maxim Grishin def. William Knight via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)

Tai Tuivasa def. Derrick Lewis

Very few have withstood full-force Derrick Lewis punches and survived the round, let alone come back and win. That makes Tai Tuivasa's win over Lewis in the co-main event an impressive performance. 

The Australian lost the first round fairly clearly. Lewis not only landed some of his signature heavy hooks, but also took him down and was delivering punishment there too. 

But Tuivasa withstood the best Lewis had to offer and came out aggressive in the second frame. Backing Lewis against the cage he caught him with a flush elbow to the face that sent Lewis to the mat face first. 

It was a shocking conclusion to a heavyweight slugfest that lived up to the hype. Not only that, but it creates an interesting situation for Tuivasa, who should move into the top three in the heavyweight division. 

He now has a five-fight win streak going, which is one of the longest in the division. 

Jared Cannonier def. Derek Brunson

Jared Cannonier is no stranger to violence, and he was once again acquainted with it in his vicious second-round TKO win over Derek Brunson. 

Cannonier didn't get off to a great start. He was both knocked down and taken down at different points in Round 1. He ended the round by getting saved by the bell while Brunson was near finishing the fight with a choke. 

But Cannonier's power means he's always one shot away from changing the fight drastically. With both fighters clinched up, he unleashed a powerful elbow that was the beginning of the end. The fight ended with Brunson on the mat and the winner raining down elbows. 

It was another violent finish for Cannonier. With a top-five ranking and an impressive finish of Brunson, he has a strong case to be the next title challenger in the middleweight division. 

Renato Moicano def. Alex Hernandez

Renato Moicano didn't need much of an opening to get the finish against Alex Hernandez. The Brazilian locked up a rear-naked choke following a knockdown in the second round. 

The first frame was a competitive affair between the two. An argument could have been made for either to get the nod. 

However, Moicano broke the fight open with a combination that saw him land a heavy shot to the body followed up by two headshots. With Hernandez falling to the ground, Moicano was quick to follow him, take his back and lock in the choke to draw the tap. 

The win marks Moicano's ninth submission win of his career. Perhaps most important was the striking that set it up, though. He has never won a fight by knockout but clearly did some damage on the feet in this outing. 

Bobby Green def. Nasrat Haqparast

Bobby Green started the main card with a thorough unanimous decision win over Nasrat Haqparast. 

Green's boxing shined in this one. Haqparast obliged in a striking battle, but Green's hand speed and combinations were too much for him. 

Throughout the three-round fight, Green built a 188-76 lead in the significant strike department. Haqparast continued to hunt for the big shot but never found the one that could change the tone of the fight. 

It was a strong outing for Green and a great follow-up to his win over Al Iaquinta last time out. Green has been in the UFC since 2013, but these last two performances have been his best to date. 

We could be seeing the beginning of a late-career rise if Green is able to continue outboxing opponents. 

Israel Adesanya held on to the UFC Middleweight Championship with a unanimous decision win over Robert Whittaker in their rematch at UFC 271 from the Toyota Center in Houston on Saturday.

While the fight was more competitive than their first bout, Adesanya's ability to control distance, counter strike and defensive wrestling were too much for the challenger to overcome. 

The mind games started early in this one with Adesanya turning the pre-fight glove touch into a quick game of rock-paper-scissors: 

Adesanya took the early lead in the actual fighting, too. He peppered Whittaker with leg kicks in the opening round but also scored an early knockdown with a precise left straight. 

Whittaker's inability to safely close the distance was a prevailing theme throughout the early going. He was able to land a takedown in Round 2, but it didn't take long for The Last Stylebender to work his way back to the feet. 

Adesanya's ability to control where the fight took place was the biggest story as the fight developed. Whittaker had some success when he doubled up his jab, but Adesanya met most of his attacks with a sharp counter-punching. 

That advantage temporarily switched to Whittaker for a moment in Round 4. He was able to capitalize on an Adesanya mistake to take his back and attempted a standing rear-naked choke but he couldn't get it locked in. 

Adesanya had the upper hand for the majority of the fight but the rounds were just competitive enough that the judges could have had some interesting scores.

The win puts an exclamation mark on his success against Whittaker in his career. He took the belt from Bobby Knuckles to kick off his title reign at 185 pounds. Nearly two-and-a-half years later, he's now added him to the list of challengers who have failed to take his crown.

The win is the end of a good week for The Last Stylebender. On Wednesday, his management team announced a new contract with the UFC.

Adesanya knows what he brings to the organization. He has international appeal with Nigerian and New Zealand roots and wanted to make sure that his value was appreciated.

"The thing I want to know is what's my value to the company," Adesanya said. "You can't undersell my value, if you are, you're kidding yourself. I bring so many different looks to this company."

More than anything, Adesanya gives the UFC a dominant champion with a fan-friendly style.

He may have come up short in his attempt to be a two-division champion against Jan Blachowicz, but there's no disputing his place as the preeminent 185-pounder in the sport right now.

With the win over Whittaker, he now has one or more wins against everyone in the top five of the division outside of Jared Cannonier.

Whittaker brought a three-fight win streak to the cage since his first loss to Adesanya. If he couldn't get the job done as a former champion, it's hard to imagine that Adesanya will be the underdog against anyone in the division for a while.

Nate Diaz said he wants to fight Dustin Poirier and then retire. Apparently, a bout may be in the cards for this summer.

"I think there's a good chance it's gonna happen," Poirier said of a potential fight against Diaz, per ESPN's Marc Raimondi. "I think summer is a good target, if had to put one on the calender. But I think it's gonna happen."

Diaz, who has one fight remaining on his UFC contract, told TMZ Sports on Friday that he wants Poirier to be his final opponent.

"I would like to fight Dustin Poirier. Like now. Like I've been trying to. If there's any mix-up it's him, and them, and the game," Diaz said. "I want the fight now. What's up Dana White? Let's get this retirement fight cracking so I can get out of this fight game. I'm done with it."

Diaz has been gunning for a fight against Poirier since late last year, and the 36-year-old has called him out on several occasions via Twitter.

Poirier hasn't shied away from the banter, however, making it clear last month that he would be willing to fight Diaz.

While the two veteran fighters have been vocal in their interest in fighting one another, UFC President Dana White has remained noncommittal. He said on The Jim Rome Show last month that fights are currently booked through May and that "Diaz will get a fight when the time comes."

Diaz and Poirier were supposed to meet at UFC 230 in November 2018, but the latter withdrew because of an injury.

Diaz is 21-13 lifetime, and while his resume includes wins over Anthony Pettis, Conor McGregor and Donald Cerrone, he has lost his last two fights to Jorge Masvidal (UFC 244) and Leon Edwards (UFC 263).

Poirier, meanwhile, is 28-7 lifetime, with wins over McGregor, Justin Gaethje and Eddie Alvarez. However, his most recent fight was a loss via submission to Charles Oliveira in December. His career wins include 14 by knockout. 

Mixed martial artist Nate Diaz told TMZ Sports that he wants to close out his career with a fight against Dustin Poirier.

"I would like to fight Dustin Poirier. Like now. Like I've been trying to. If there's any mix-up it's him, and them, and the game," Diaz said.

"I want the fight now. What's up Dana White? Let's get this retirement fight cracking so I can get out of this fight game. I'm done with it."

Diaz, who has one fight left on his UFC contract, is confident in his chances against Poirier, who is ranked as the UFC's No. 2 lightweight contender and No. 8 pound-for-pound fighter.

"He ain't doing s--t to me," Diaz told TMZ Sports during the Shaq's Fun House party in Los Angeles on Friday.

"I'll tell ya that much."

Diaz is 20-13 lifetime with 11 submissions and five knockouts.

Diaz has called out for a Poirier fight multiple times this year as he implores the UFC to make it happen.

Poirier also made it clear he'd be up for that bout.

"Of course we're interested [in that fight]," UFC president Dana White said about a possible Poirier-Diaz bout, per ESPN's Brett Okamoto.

"This is what we do. We make fights every weekend. What happens is guys just want to jump out of nowhere. 'I want to do this, I want to do that.' We have fights booked all the way to, I want to say May 2. Everything is in place. Everything is done. Obviously, Nate Diaz will get a fight."

Another Conor McGregor-Diaz battle could be on the table too, although that would depend on the former fighter's health after he shattered his left tibia and fibula in a UFC 264 matchup against Poirier.

"It could be [McGregor-Diaz], but it's going to depend—I think Conor is going to be back this summer, but I don't know if Conor will be back this summer," White said. "It's all going to depend on how Conor's leg heals and a million other things that could happen between now and summer. So, to speculate is stupid. I just stopped doing that."

The 36-year-old Diaz's fight resume includes wins over Conor McGregor, Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone and Anthony Pettis. His last fight resulted in a unanimous decision loss to Leon Edwards last June.

Poirier, who once held the UFC's interim lightweight title, is 28-7 lifetime with one no-contest. Fourteen of his wins have come by knockout, and seven have occurred via submission.

His most recent fight was a third-round submission loss in December to Charles Oliveira in a fight for the lightweight title.