Israel Adesanya said that he proved he is “the best in the world” at middleweight with his victory in the rematch against Robert Whittaker at UFC 271 on Sunday morning.
The champion, seeking to once again defend the belt that he captured from Whittaker in 2019, prevailed in the main event in Houston, Texas via unanimous decision.
The Nigerian-born athlete, who this week signed a lucrative new contract with the UFC, was superior for the majority of an albeit close encounter against the division’s No 1-ranked challenger, eventually winning 48-47, 48-47, 49-46.
Adesanya, 22-1 in professional mixed martial arts, retained the middleweight crown for the fourth time — he has also previously successfully defended the interim title, too — to reinforce his position as one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the world.
Asked in the post-bout press conference how he rated his performance, Adesanya said: “Seven out of 10. Not bad. Good night in the office. Good chess match.”
While the encounter was keenly contested, Adesanya’s victory did appear justified. The New Zealand resident, 32, even recorded a flash knockdown of his Australian rival in the first round, with Whittaker claiming afterwards that he believed still that he had in fact “done enough” to win instead.
“He did not win that fight, and he knows it,” Adesanya said. “He needs to go have a shower as well and reflect and realise that's not true … You don't do 'enough' to win the title. You take the belt. That's how this works.”
In defeating Whittaker, Adesanya snapped the former champion’s three-fight win streak. Whittaker, 31, had not lost since the original meeting between the two, at UFC 243 in October 2019, when his opponent recorded a second-round TKO to land the belt.
In the time between bouts, Whittaker has rebuilt his career to register impressive victories against Darren Till, Jared Cannonier and Kevlin Gastelum.
On Sunday, Adesanya said: “We're just two guys trying to be the best in the world. Tonight, I was the best in the world.”
Thus, Adesanya remains undefeated at middleweight. His only professional loss came upon his move up to light-heavyweight last year, where he was beaten by then-champion Jan Blachowicz via another unanimous decision.
Adesanya ruled out another jump in divisions in his immediate future, instead identifying Cannonier as a potential next opponent. The American was also successful at UFC 271, defeating Derek Brunson earlier on the main card at the Toyota Center.
“We'll see,” said Adesanya when asked if a third fight with Whittaker appealed. “The division is filled with killers. It's filled with killers. But I'm looking forward to fresh meat.”
Meanwhile, Whittaker held titles at middleweight between 2017 and 2019, and said his improved display in the rematch with Adesanya showed enough to warrant another crack at the current champion.
“You can see in this fight how much I've come, to the point where I think I beat him,” Whittaker said. “I'm just excited for the future. I believe there is no ceiling for me.
“Honestly, a third fight between me and Izzy is inevitable. It's inevitable because I am going to stomp anybody who comes in front of me again and he knows that too. That is why he said I will be seeing you in the future.
“And I don't see him losing the belt anytime soon. He is good. I think I am the person to beat him. Yeah, my mission stays the same: beat the next guy and then the next guy.”
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General admission Dh295 (under-three free)
Buy a four-person Family & Friends ticket and pay for only three tickets, so the fourth family member is free
Buy tickets at: wbworldabudhabi.com/en/tickets
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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Dirham Stretcher tips for having a baby in the UAE
Selma Abdelhamid, the group's moderator, offers her guide to guide the cost of having a young family:
• Buy second hand stuff
They grow so fast. Don't get a second hand car seat though, unless you 100 per cent know it's not expired and hasn't been in an accident.
• Get a health card and vaccinate your child for free at government health centres
Ms Ma says she discovered this after spending thousands on vaccinations at private clinics.
• Join mum and baby coffee mornings provided by clinics, babysitting companies or nurseries.
Before joining baby classes ask for a free trial session. This way you will know if it's for you or not. You'll be surprised how great some classes are and how bad others are.
• Once baby is ready for solids, cook at home
Take the food with you in reusable pouches or jars. You'll save a fortune and you'll know exactly what you're feeding your child.
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
Important questions to consider
1. Where on the plane does my pet travel?
There are different types of travel available for pets:
- Manifest cargo
- Excess luggage in the hold
- Excess luggage in the cabin
Each option is safe. The feasibility of each option is based on the size and breed of your pet, the airline they are traveling on and country they are travelling to.
2. What is the difference between my pet traveling as manifest cargo or as excess luggage?
If traveling as manifest cargo, your pet is traveling in the front hold of the plane and can travel with or without you being on the same plane. The cost of your pets travel is based on volumetric weight, in other words, the size of their travel crate.
If traveling as excess luggage, your pet will be in the rear hold of the plane and must be traveling under the ticket of a human passenger. The cost of your pets travel is based on the actual (combined) weight of your pet in their crate.
3. What happens when my pet arrives in the country they are traveling to?
As soon as the flight arrives, your pet will be taken from the plane straight to the airport terminal.
If your pet is traveling as excess luggage, they will taken to the oversized luggage area in the arrival hall. Once you clear passport control, you will be able to collect them at the same time as your normal luggage. As you exit the airport via the ‘something to declare’ customs channel you will be asked to present your pets travel paperwork to the customs official and / or the vet on duty.
If your pet is traveling as manifest cargo, they will be taken to the Animal Reception Centre. There, their documentation will be reviewed by the staff of the ARC to ensure all is in order. At the same time, relevant customs formalities will be completed by staff based at the arriving airport.
4. How long does the travel paperwork and other travel preparations take?
This depends entirely on the location that your pet is traveling to. Your pet relocation compnay will provide you with an accurate timeline of how long the relevant preparations will take and at what point in the process the various steps must be taken.
In some cases they can get your pet ‘travel ready’ in a few days. In others it can be up to six months or more.
5. What vaccinations does my pet need to travel?
Regardless of where your pet is traveling, they will need certain vaccinations. The exact vaccinations they need are entirely dependent on the location they are traveling to. The one vaccination that is mandatory for every country your pet may travel to is a rabies vaccination.
Other vaccinations may also be necessary. These will be advised to you as relevant. In every situation, it is essential to keep your vaccinations current and to not miss a due date, even by one day. To do so could severely hinder your pets travel plans.
Source: Pawsome Pets UAE
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THE DETAILS
Director: Milan Jhaveri
Producer: Emmay Entertainment and T-Series
Cast: John Abraham, Manoj Bajpayee
Rating: 2/5
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Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
