Both champion and interim champion had a face off during a recent press conference, but Adesanya says Whittaker reminded him of a meth-head during that face to face encounter.
?At the staredown, he just reminded me of like a meth head,? Adesanya told MMA Junkie. ?When you look into someone?s eyes and you?re just like, yeah, and I?m looking at him like OK, cool. He?s a guy, he?s been here, he?s tough, he?s a vet in this game, so I don?t have to try and get under his skin.?
Whittaker has yet to respond to the comment made by Adesanya, but the champion has never failed a UFC drug test for meth either.
The champion also talks a lot of trash in the lead up to fights and Adesanya says nothing Whittaker says will get under his skin.
?He?s not under my skin, and he says he doesn?t think about me, and I don?t want him to,? he said. ?I don?t expect him to. My coaches think about him a lot, though, and we?re going to devise a beautiful strategy to take him off.?
UFC 243 takes place on Saturday, October 6 from the Docklands Stadium in Melbourne, Australia with Robert Whittaker and Israel Adesanya headlining. Fightful is providing live coverage of the event, with a post-show podcast to follow.