'It's a funny world'… Robert Whittaker explains how he ended up training with old rival Israel Adesanya

01/15/2025 05:42 AM

Robert Whittaker has revealed how he ended up working with Israel Adesanya.

The former UFC middleweight champion's have shared a bitter rivalry through the years, but they have put that to one side to train with each other in 2025.

Israel Adesanya knocked out Robert Whittaker to take his title in 2019, before defending the belt with a unanimous decision win when they rematched in 2022.

Three years later, they have teamed after suffering defeats that have seen them slip down 185lbs rankings.

Robert Whittaker explains shock training footage

Everyone asked the same question when Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker were seen training together. 'How did this happen?'

'The Reaper' has now explained how he ended up squashing his beef with Adesanya before traveling to New Zealand to train with his former rival's team.

“It's a funny world, honestly," Whittaker said during an interview with Fox Sports. "If you would've asked me a few years ago if I ever seen this coming, the answer would've been, 'Not in 100 years'.

"I guess where we were with the team back home, one of my training partners got injured, a couple of the boys were tired and had other commitments they wanted to focus on.

“I sat down with the team, and Alex [Prates] was like, 'We need some bodies. How are we gonna get them?' We started looking global. I think I'm fortunate enough to be able to train in most places and get along with most people.

"We started looking around and then like a lightening bold we realized, 'Mate, City Kickboxing is only a 2.5-hour flight away and they've got the bodies'.

"It's New Zealand, the place of my birth. Everything just started lining up, right? So, Alex reached out to Eugene [Bareman] and had a conversation. Me, Alex, and a couple of training partners came over here to test the waters to see if we get along, and we are getting along."

Whittaker's issue with Adesanya was born out of a competitive rivalry, rather than a deep hatred.

Still, he admits that palling around with 'Stylebender' has been a bit surreal.

Whittaker added: "I don't know if I hated him, but I'm pretty sure that 10 years ago I would've hit him with my car if I could have. It was that sort of relationship.

"It's funny, I just left his house. I was sitting on the couch with him working on his YouTube stuff.

"I'm still kind of reeling. It's a funny world. You've got to be open to his stuff and have an open mind to be able to work through that so everyone can get better. I think it's a good path to growth.

"We get along. Even when I was just chilling with him before, and talking with him, you can see a lot of the common interests make that really easy."

What's next for Robert Whittaker?

Whittaker hasn't fought since tapping out when Khamzat Chimaev crushed his face with a first-round submission at UFC 308 in October.

The 34-year-old always wanted a third crack at Adesanya, but he says they will never fight again now that they have become the most unlikely training partners.

“I think we can close that door," Whittaker replied when about a potential trilogy fight with Adesanya. "I don't think the chances were high just because of where we are situated in our careers, and the division as a whole.

"Yeah, that door is shut. I don't fight people I eat with."

As for what's next, Whittaker is working towards a summer comeback fight.

“I've been training for a while now," he concluded.

“I've been training here with the boys for a bit. Honestly, I've got some things that I'm working on in the beginning of this year. In the coming months, I want to focus on those.

"I'm probably looking for a June return.

"I wanna hit the ground running. I wanna perfect and really put the finishing touches on some things that I'm working on, so when I step back into the Octagon, again after a loss, you see me level up, you see me take that next step to being better than I was."