Yahoo Sports Twitter reacts to Israel Adesanya’s title defense over Robert Whittaker in UFC 271 rematch
Israel Adesanya maintained his position as the world’s best middleweight on Saturday when he defended his title against Robert Whittaker in the UFC 271 main event.
Adesanya (22-1 MMA, 11-1 UFC) recorded a fourth defense of the 185-pound title when he defeated the man he originally took it from. “The Last Stylebender” earned a unanimous decision victory over Whittaker (23-6 MMA, 14-4 UFC) in their rematch, which took place at Toyota Center in Houston.
Check below for the top Twitter reactions Adesanya’s title defense over Whittaker at UFC 271.
MMA Junkie
It's time! Israel Adesanya (@Stylebender) and @RobWhittakerMMA are moments away from running it back for 185-pound gold in the #UFC271 main event.
Play-by-play and results: https://t.co/5KitSx8Bea pic.twitter.com/GWBsIx7C3D
— MMA Junkie (@MMAjunkie) February 13, 2022
Nick Kalikas
#UFC271 Middleweight World Title Closing Betting Odds via @CircaSports
Robert Whittaker +255
Israel Adesanya -300@UFC 💰 | @ESPNPlus | @espn— Nick Kalikas (@FightOdds) February 13, 2022
UFC
Coming to reclaim the throne 👑
[ @RobWhittakerMMA | #UFC271 | Tune in LIVE on E+ PPV: https://t.co/K6X32sXlXb ] pic.twitter.com/U8QrSuxyZh
— UFC (@ufc) February 13, 2022
MMA Junkie
THE CHAMP IS HERE! 🏆@stylebender makes way to the octagon for the #UFC271 main event. pic.twitter.com/2dXp89xihw
— MMA Junkie (@MMAjunkie) February 13, 2022
UFC
The champ takes round 1 📄>🪨
[ #UFC271 | Tune in LIVE on E+ PPV: https://t.co/K6X32sXlXb ] pic.twitter.com/TtWnWasa7f
— UFC (@ufc) February 13, 2022
Khabib Nurmagomedov
My heart with Robert but my mind with Adesanya
— khabib nurmagomedov (@TeamKhabib) February 13, 2022
Kevin Iole
Adesanya firing tons of kicks
— Kevin Iole (@KevinI) February 13, 2022
Andreas Hale
Whittaker lunges forward. Nothing. Izzy chopping Whittaker's lead leg with ease. Izzy barely misses a high kick. Straight left drops Whittaker. Flash knockdown. Whittaker is back up.
— Andreas Hale (@AndreasHale) February 13, 2022
Marvin Vettori
Man give me any of these guys.
Any. Any time.— Marvin Vettori (@MarvinVettori) February 13, 2022
Whittaker is fighting scared#
— Marvin Vettori (@MarvinVettori) February 13, 2022
John Hyon Ko
Adesanya is in the driver's seat. Flowing beautifully. #UFC271
— John Hyon Ko (@JHKMMA) February 13, 2022
Alan Jouban
Izzy is supremely confident right now! #UFC271
— Alan Jouban (@AlanJouban) February 13, 2022
Belal Muhammad
Man Izzy is a genius in movement and striking
— Belal Muhammad (@bullyb170) February 13, 2022
Phil Murphy
10-9, Adesanya.
He remains a puzzle that Whittaker hasn’t yet figured out. #UFC271
— Phil Murphy (@Phil_Sports) February 13, 2022
Nick Kalikas
#UFC271 Live In-Game Wagering Odds After Round 1 via @CircaSports
Robert Whittaker +490
Israel Adesanya -750@UFC 💰 | @ESPNPlus | @espn— Nick Kalikas (@FightOdds) February 13, 2022
Teddy Atlas
Besides every thing else, Adesanya has great eyes, he choose right punch to throw there. Down pipe. #UFC271
— Teddy Atlas (@TeddyAtlasReal) February 13, 2022
Kevin Iole
Izzy is chopping Rob’s legs out. Beating them to a pulp.
— Kevin Iole (@KevinI) February 13, 2022
Belal Muhammad
Izzy is a prime Anderson Silva that watches anime
— Belal Muhammad (@bullyb170) February 13, 2022
Andreas Hale
Uppercut by Izzy straightens Whittaker out. Whittaker lands a left hand. Izzy presses forward. Izzy lands a leg kick, Whittaker sneaks in for a takedown. Izzy gets to his feet. Whittaker has him on the fence.
— Andreas Hale (@AndreasHale) February 13, 2022
Alan Jouban
Adesanya's takedown defense along the fence line – including his ability to quickly scramble to his feet – is one of the stronger points of his defense.
— Luke Thomas (@lthomasnews) February 13, 2022
Alan Jouban
I think the technique that Izzy was alluding to landing a lot in sparring was that left kick without the switch. Just pops it up fast and is really looking for it in this fight! #UFC271
— Alan Jouban (@AlanJouban) February 13, 2022
Ben Askren
Whittaker found a way to get a takedown, but you gotta keep him down!
— Funky (@Benaskren) February 13, 2022
Dominick Cruz
Adesanya is attacking lead leg of Whittaker to take away all The power and forward boxing pressure.
Whittaker can not win moving backward he must Check kicks with forward pressure.— Dominick Cruz (@DominickCruz) February 13, 2022
Nick Baldwin
Much better round for Whittaker. 19-19.
— Nick Baldwin (@NickBaldwinMMA) February 13, 2022
NIck Kalikas
#UFC271 Live In-Game Wagering Odds After Round 2 via @CircaSports
Robert Whittaker +490
Israel Adesanya -750@UFC 💰 | @ESPNPlus | @espn— Nick Kalikas (@FightOdds) February 13, 2022
Michael Chandler
For as dominant as Izzy is…he isn’t overly offensive. #ufc271
— Michael Chandler (@MikeChandlerMMA) February 13, 2022
Mookie Alexander
Well lordy. Izzy's balance is unbelievable.
— Mookie Alexander (@mookiealexander) February 13, 2022
Robbie Fox
Joe Rogan (scheduling conflict) texts Jon Anik with his commentary on-air 😂 #UFC271
— Robbie Fox (@RobbieBarstool) February 13, 2022
Jimi Manuwa
The leg is nearly done #ufc271
— JIMI MANUWA (@POSTERBOYJM) February 13, 2022
Andreas Hale
Whittaker still alive but it's hard to tell if he's just in survival mode now because he can't find an opening. Adesanya 10-9 (30-27 Adesanya)
— Andreas Hale (@AndreasHale) February 13, 2022
Nick Kalikas
#UFC271 Live In-Game Wagering Odds After Round 3 via @CircaSports
Robert Whittaker +410
Israel Adesanya -600@UFC 💰 | @ESPNPlus | @espn— Nick Kalikas (@FightOdds) February 13, 2022
Yves Edwards
Izzy’s pitching a shutout through 3.
— The Thugjitsu Master (@thugjitsumaster) February 13, 2022
Belal Muhammad
You think prime @ChaelSonnen from the first Anderson Silva fight would’ve been able to hold down Izzy?
— Belal Muhammad (@bullyb170) February 13, 2022
Teddy Atlas
Whittaker’s jab was effective, timed well and accurate. Close round. #UFC271
— Teddy Atlas (@TeddyAtlasReal) February 13, 2022
Ben Fowlkes
Israel Adesanya is good at fighting, man. But there ain’t no quit in Bobby Knuckles.
— Ben Fowlkes (@benfowlkesMMA) February 13, 2022
Dan Tom
Would’ve loved to have heard some direction toward a high-crotch if Adesanya when to a double wrist lock/kimura defense, as slamming toward that submission threat side is a solid answer imo
— Dan Tom (@DanTomMMA) February 13, 2022
Jon Jones
https://twitter.com/JonnyBones/status/1492735863179993088
Mike Jackson
This shit is art. 🎨 #UFC271
— Mike Jackson, Esq. (@TheTruthJackson) February 13, 2022
The Rock
Damn!! Incredible to see Izzy only breathing thru his nose midway thru 4th. Not even sitting down between rounds. Discipline. Control.
Both these guys. #UFC271— Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) February 13, 2022
Jonathan Snowden
Adesanya does so little that it's hard to say who's winning these rounds. Defense and stance switching doesn't score.
— TheRealSnowden (@JESnowden) February 13, 2022
Brian Campbell
Whittaker boxing well in R4. #UFC271
— Brian Campbell (@BCampbell) February 13, 2022
Josh Gross
I have it 38-38. Adesanya R1 and 3. Whittaker 2 and 4. Sounds like more people see Adesanya ahead. I think it's been a very close fight through 20 min.
— Josh Gross (@yay_yee) February 13, 2022
Nick Kalikas
#UFC271 Live In-Game Wagering Odds After Round 4 via @CircaSports
Robert Whittaker +600
Israel Adesanya -1000@UFC 💰 | @ESPNPlus | @espn— Nick Kalikas (@FightOdds) February 13, 2022
Jimi Manuwa
Izzy’s not even breathing
— JIMI MANUWA (@POSTERBOYJM) February 13, 2022
Michael Chandler
We playing a game or are we fighting? Asking for a friend. #UFC271
— Michael Chandler (@MikeChandlerMMA) February 13, 2022
Touch butt…. #UFC271
— Michael Chandler (@MikeChandlerMMA) February 13, 2022
Andreas Hale
Whittaker snatches a leg but Izzy shoves him off. Brief eye poke halts the action. Whittaker with a takedown and Izzy pops up immediately. Left hand by Whittaker on the break.
— Andreas Hale (@AndreasHale) February 13, 2022
Belal Muhammad
Regardless the outcome I wanna see this a third time
— Belal Muhammad (@bullyb170) February 13, 2022
Teddy Atlas
I predicted a close fight and the over on our Podcast maybe should have also taken shot with Dog. #UFC271
— Teddy Atlas (@TeddyAtlasReal) February 13, 2022
Ben Askren
I got it 3-2 Izzy, but I could see a judge giving 3 rounds to Whittaker for sure!
— Funky (@Benaskren) February 13, 2022
Justin Gaethje
Whittaker took 3,4,5 #UFC271
— Justin Gaethje 🇺🇸 (@Justin_Gaethje) February 13, 2022
UFC
WHAT A FIGHT 🔥
Who do you think should leave Houston with the belt? 👑
[ #UFC271 | Tune in LIVE on E+ PPV: https://t.co/K6X32sXlXb ] pic.twitter.com/rn8CFKcOLr
— UFC (@ufc) February 13, 2022
Michael Carroll
Adesanya surrendered four takedowns tonight, tying his career-high by Marvin Vettori in Izzy's previous fight. #UFC271
— Michael Carroll (@MJCflipdascript) February 13, 2022
MMA Junkie
#UFC271 results: Israel Adesanya (@Stylebender) def. Robert Whittaker via unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 49-46) – to defend middleweight title
Play-by-play and results: https://t.co/5KitSx8Bea pic.twitter.com/U66bhbA3ZO
— MMA Junkie (@MMAjunkie) February 13, 2022
Michael Chandler
Trust me, I love Izzy. But we have gotten to a point where a dominant champ just needs to stand there, throw a few shots per round and he will not lose unless he gets caught&he will always get the nod. Izzy got paid on this last contract…go FIGHT, don’t you dare spar. #UFC271
— Michael Chandler (@MikeChandlerMMA) February 13, 2022
Chael Sonnen
No
— Chael Sonnen (@ChaelSonnen) February 13, 2022
Michael Carroll
Israel Adesanya's 11-fight UFC win streak at middleweight is the second longest win streak in 185 lb. history (Silva, 13). #UFC271
— Michael Carroll (@MJCflipdascript) February 13, 2022
Jan Blachowicz
Still, the one ;). #UFC271
— Jan Blachowicz (@JanBlachowicz) February 13, 2022
Dan Tom
Scores sound right to me, as Adesanya retains. Feel for Rob but Adesanya is a great martial artist and good for the sport, so happy for him as well. Good night all and all. #UFC271
— Dan Tom (@DanTomMMA) February 13, 2022
Erik Koch
I don’t understand. I’m a fan of Izzy. That being said his highlights are low kicks. Rob landed more hands and got takedowns. Any other person besides Jones they barely score low kicks over punches.
— Erik Jon Koch (@NEWBREED04) February 13, 2022
Shaheen Al-Shatti
Robert Whittaker: "I'm gutted. I thought I did enough. I thought I took that." #UFC271
— Shaheen Al-Shatti (@shaunalshatti) February 13, 2022
UFC
THE @STYLEBENDER REIGNS SUPREME #ANDSTILL! 👑
[ #UFC271 | B2YB @CryptoCom ] pic.twitter.com/8PDVzsDS9p
— UFC (@ufc) February 13, 2022
Khamzat Chimaev
@stylebender easy money for me, 0 wrestling. 1 round I’m gonna kill him🤪
— Khamzat Chimaev (@KChimaev) February 13, 2022
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