This Sunday at the Marvel Stadium, for UFC 243, UFC Middleweight champion (New Zealand born Australian) Robert Whittaker defends his title against (African born New Zealander) Israel Adesanya, with the Anzac battle evolving to the Octagon.
For those not familiar with the meaning of Anzac here’s your history lesson. Anzac means Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. In World War 1, a sub-division of the British Army made up of Australian and New Zealand soldiers, were sent to Turkey to attack the enemy by sea and storm the beaches of what is now Anzac cove, Gallipoli on the dawn of April 25th 1915. This day will forever been know as Anzac Day and every April 25th both countries come together to celebrate and commemorate the sacrifices and service of past and present military members. Army, Navy and Air Force.
As a recent retiree of the Australian Army with ten years service, Anzac Day has a particularly special meaning for myself as does the sporting rivalry between Australia and New Zealand.
Over the decades since 1915 a sporting rivalry between the two countries has heated up with a brilliant Aus v NZ rivalry. In the 1990’s through professional rugby league things really got exciting with an annual Anzac Day game between representatives of each country, playing each other.
Over the last twenty years that rivalry has spread to Rugby Union particularly with the Bledisloe Cup(with NZ on a fifteen year undefeated streak), Netball, Cricket, Basketball, pretty much any team sport where Australia plays New Zealand. In 2012 the rivalry entered the boxing ring when Aussie Danny Green faced New Zealander Shane Cameron for the IBO Cruiserweight title, now the Anzac battle enters a new arena, the Octagon.
Whittaker has been quite vocal in his preparation for the fight. Whittaker spoke to FoxSports.com.au
“ But trust me when I say this, when I get in there, I’m going to be trying to kill him. There is no 110 percent, there’s just me at 100 percent trying to kill him.
“It doesn’t matter what you say, all my opponents I’ve felt the same, even the ones with the mutual respect. I’m still going to go in there at 100 percent and try and kill you.”
Whittaker is also hoping it’s third time a charm with his attempt to defend his title on home soil as the last two times, Whittaker was hospitalised.
Adesanya also has dreams for the fight wanting his prediction of victory to lead him to a 100 million dollar payday. He spoke in s press conference on Friday.
I’ll make that purse in MMA, guaranteed,” said Adesanya. “I’ll make that purse in the UFC, that’s why I said this is where I want to end my career. Come on man, you can make $100 million in the UFC. You don’t have to go to boxing. Only Mayweather is going to make that. Only McGregor is going to make that when he fought Mayweather—that’s the Mayweather effect. That’s going to happen in the UFC.
“I might be the first person to do it in the UFC, if McGregor comes back he might compete with me for that. But I might be the first to do that in the UFC. It’s not about money. At the end of the day, I do this for legacy. This is where I’ll end my career. I don’t want to fight that baddest motherf*ckers in the world and then go and just fight some guy like, ‘Okay will duke it out, but we’ll just use our hands.’ I gotta kick someone in the face!”
UFC 243 will crown the future of the sport for new generation.
The fight happens this Sunday at 1pm with the broadcast on Mainevent television.
