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SPORTS Saturday 9 February 2019

Whittaker meets Gastelum, Adesanya takes on Silva at UFC 234

By GREG BEACHAM weren’t around during his week that the winner of The Spider served a one- but the famed tennis sta-
AP Sports Writer reign. What it felt like. You Silva’s showdown with Ad- year doping ban during his dium still sold out in minutes
Israel Adesanya can al- might have come around esanya will get the next title time out of the cage, but after the announcement of
ready imagine fighting the Rousey era or the Mc- shot against the winner of he wants to fight on despite the two big middleweight
Robert Whittaker for the fights.
UFC middleweight title later The main event is a com-
this year in a huge stadium pelling challenge for the
full of roaring Australian soft-spoken, hard-hitting
fans. Whittaker, who claimed
To make the dream hap- the interim middleweight
pen, these two Australasian belt nearly two years ago
fighters must get past two and was promoted to full
major obstacles at UFC 234 champion after Georges
in Melbourne this weekend. St. Pierre beat Michael Bisp-
Before Whittaker (20-4) ing and vacated the belt.
defends his belt against Whittaker is the first Austra-
American contender Kelvin lian champion in UFC histo-
Gastelum (15-3) in the main ry, and he is fighting in Mel-
event, Adesanya (15-0) bourne for the third time in
gets the biggest fight of his just over three years.
life against Anderson Silva But he has fought just once
(34-8), the Brazilian mixed since winning his interim
martial arts trailblazer. title, struggling with a knee
Four of the world’s best injury and a staph infection.
185-pounders will be show- With his health woes be-
cased atop the card at hind him,
Rod Laver Arena, but two Whittaker has a chance to
are fighting closer to home. assert himself as one of the
Adesanya was born in Ni- UFC’s top pound-for-pound
geria before moving to stars with a victory over
New Zealand as a teenag- Gastelum, who has lost just
er, and Whittaker is a New once in six bouts over the
Zealand-born Australian. past three years.
Although Adesanya is 17 “Kelvin is the biggest hurdle
months older than Whit- in my way, and he’s a true
taker, he is considered one test,” Whittaker said.
of the UFC’s most tantaliz- “He’s going to be a true
ing title contenders, with In this June 10, 2018, file photo, Robert Whittaker reacts after his middleweight mixed martial arts test of my character and
a spectacular fighting title bout against Yoel Romero at UFC 225 in Chicago. Associated Press my abilities. I look forward
style that reminds many of to learning something from
the 43-year-old Silva in his Gregor era, but you don’t Whittaker’s bout with Gas- the worries of his family. it and growing.”
prime. Even after Silva’s re- realize who this guy is. He telum. “He’s a great talent,” Silva Gastelum, who spent time
cent losing streak and dop- brought me into this game. That means Silva is one said of Adesanya. “He has around Whittaker last year
ing problems, Adesanya is This guy inspired me to be- win away from improbably a great future in this sport, as coaches on the UFC’s
grateful for the opportunity lieve a skinny black guy fighting to reclaim the belt so I’m very lucky to come long-running reality com-
to go up against a giant. can just come in here and he held from 2006 to 2013, here and fight. It’s a good petition show, knows he’ll
“I saw the odds this week, (beat) everyone up. winning 16 straight fights in challenge for me, but I be- be the underdog among
and I was like, “He brought me into this the process. lieve it’s a big challenge for oddsmakers and the Aus-
‘Man, y’all must have for- game, and for me, it’ll be Silva hasn’t fought in two Israel.” tralian fans.
got,’” Adesanya said. “You an honor to take him out of years since a victory over UFC 234 takes place Sun- “People didn’t like me for
don’t know that man over the game.” Derek Brunson in early 2017 day afternoon to fit into the my entire career,” Gaste-
there, Anderson Silva. I UFC President Dana White ended his five-fight winless Saturday night pay-per- lum said. “This isn’t a sur-
think a lot of you new fans confirmed earlier in the streak. view window in the U.S., prise to me.”q