SINGAPORE – Robert Whittaker knows Marvin Vettori isn’t an easy fight but thinks he has the edge everywhere.
Whittaker (23-6 MMA, 14-4 UFC) faces Vettori (18-5-1 MMA, 8-3-1 UFC) on Sept. 3 at Accor Arena in Paris, where he’ll look to rebound from his title-fight loss to middleweight champion Israel Adesanya in February.
Vettori also is coming off a recent loss to Adesanya but was able to turn around and beat Paulo Costa in a light heavyweight bout last October at UFC Fight Night 196.
“He’s super tough,” Whittaker told MMA Junkie of Vettori. “There’s a reason why he keeps winning, why he’s only lost to one dude. He’s a very tough guy, very well rounded, a lot of forward pressure, tough as nails, willing to go out on his shield.
“All those things together make a dangerous guy, so I’m giving that the respect it deserves, but I think I’m better. I think I’m better everywhere. I think I can keep him in the reach and space that I want him, and I feel like I can take the fight wherever I want.”
Ex-champ Whittaker hopes a win over Vettori could lead to another title shot where he’d face the winner of the UFC 276 headliner between Adesanya and Jared Cannonier.
“Hopefully one,” Whittaker said. “It’s a matter of when, not if. First thing’s first: I want to get a win over Vettori. I think that puts me in a good spot.”
Whittaker, who holds a win over Cannonier, thinks “The Killa Gorilla” will have to surprise Adesanya if he wants to dethrone him.
“Israel’s a hard fight,” Whittaker said. “He’s very good. He’s very good at using his reach and his range, so he’s very skilled. Jared is gonna have to try and do something different that we’ve seen in previous fights because he can get caught on that outside and get kept there, but maybe we see a different Cannonier going in.”
Robert Whittaker: Marvin Vettori ‘tough as nails,’ but ‘I’m better everywhere’
