Coach: Robert Whittaker ‘is a better version’ of Georges St-Pierre

Esther Lin, MMA Fighting Robert Whittaker (pictured) and Israel Adesanya will unify the middleweight belts at UFC 243.Robert Whittaker’s middleweight belt will finally be on the line at UFC 243, when “The Reaper” faces interim titleholder Israel Adesanya in Melbourne, Australia, on Oct. 5. For Whittaker’s longtime jiu-jitsu coach Alex Prates, this contest might change the way the public sees the 185-pound champion.

For Prates, a black belt under Rolker Gracie and Royler Gracie, the ability to keep Adesanya guessing throughout the five-round fight will be the key to coming out victorious in his first UFC title defense.

“Maybe you’ll see Robert Whittaker using a style that I think is the one…