Robert Whittaker is not overlooking his opponent as UFC 290 approaches. Despite being heavily favored to win against Dricus Du Plessis in their fight on July 8, Whittaker is aware that he cannot take his opponent lightly. As the former UFC middleweight champion he aims to earn another shot at the current champ, Israel Adesanya.

Du Plessis, an undefeated South African fighter with a 5-0 record in the UFC, is a significant underdog in this upcoming bout. Whittaker acknowledges the talent of Du Plessis and believes that the challenger’s success stems from his opponents underestimating him.

Whittaker recognizes that UFC 290 is a vital crossroads in his professional career. Although he has enjoyed success within the 185-pound division, he has lost two bouts against Adesanya. Significantly, the second of these matches was a more competitive unanimous decision, which demonstrated that Whittaker was beginning to narrow the gap between himself and his opponent. Whittaker is confident that his skills have improved further since then, and he is eager to demonstrate that he is more than capable of defeating Adesanya.

UFC President Dana White has confirmed that whoever wins between Whittaker and Du Plessis will be the next contender for Adesanya’s belt. However, given that the UFC is looking to hold Adesanya’s next defense on September 10 in Sydney, Whittaker may not have much time to recover if he wins. Despite this, Whittaker is willing to take on the challenge, and he is ready to fight whoever is put in front of him.

In conclusion, Whittaker is taking his predictions with a grain of salt and is preparing himself for the upcoming challenge. As always, he is looking to improve on his skills and techniques while respecting his opponent’s capabilities. Whittaker is eager to secure another chance at the championship belt, and he knows that to do this, he must take it one fight at a time.