Israel Adesanya isn't holding any punches about a potential clash of champions between himself and middleweight champion Rob Whittaker.
He's not even guaranteed a bout with the Aussie fighter yet but already Adesanya has made it clear that should he beat Kelvin Gastelum at UFC 236 this weekend to win the interim title, he'll be a better champion regardless.
"If you look at [Whittaker] in the last three years, he's fought twice," Adesanya said.
"In one year, I fought five times so as a champion, I'd be very active and actually show up to work."
Adesanya has skyrocketed up the UFC's ranks after taking five wins from five bouts over a 12-month period starting last year - his last being a unanimous decision win over legend Anderson Silva in February at UFC 234.
Whittaker was supposed to defend his title against Gastelum at UFC 234 as well, but pulled out just hours before the event due to a hernia and a twisted and collapsed bowel that forced him to undergo emergency surgery the next day.
Since beating Yoel Romero in July 2017 for the title, Whittaker has only fought once - a rematch with Romero in June last year.
Along with his withdrawal from UFC 234, Whittaker also pulled out of UFC 221 in February last year due to an injury.
Adesanya said if he beats Gastelum, he'd look to fight Whittaker in August.
"He wants to come back in August.
"I feel like that would be one of if not the biggest sporting events in the Pacific region. I look forward to that and making history, twice."
Adesanya and Gastelum square off on Sunday afternoon, with the main card beginning at 2pm NZT.
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