Robert Whittaker, since moving up to middleweight in the UFC, has only lost thrice. Two of these losses came against Israel Adesanya, and he most recently lost to Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 290.
Although Whittaker’s been unable to reclaim his UFC middleweight title since 2019, he’s defeated top contenders such as Darren Till, Jared Cannonier, Paulo Costa, Marvin Vettori, and Ikram Aliskerov.
“Bobby Knuckles” will now face Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 308. Here’s what he thinks of fighting another intimidating contender and how he plans to emerge victorious…
Robert Whittaker Reveals Several Reasons That Make Him Confident About Beating Khamzat Chimaev
Whittaker appeared on the Submission Radio YouTube channel recently and discussed the state of the UFC middleweight division. When asked about his next fight, “The Reaper” highlighted that he’s had two camps preparing specifically for Chimaev which is naturally a huge advantage.
“I’ve essentially had two camps for this guy, right? I think skill-set wise, I’m probably at the best I’ve been. I’ve been especially most prepared for Khamzat, theoretically speaking as I could be, right?”
The former UFC middleweight kingpin also feels great physically and mentally. He likes fighting in the Middle East, which is luckily where UFC 308 takes place.
Whittaker didn’t hold back when asked about his strategy going into the Chimaev fight. He’s aware of the explosive wrestling his opponent brings in the early rounds. However, he’s certain about neutralizing Chimaev’s wrestling and turning the tides as the fight goes on.
“Yeah, definitely that high-paced start and his wrestling prowess. It’s quite simple. You know, you got to worry about how hard he’s going to push the wrestling envelope in the first few rounds. And then, like, what I’m going to do after that, after I stop the takedowns, after I get back up or whatever, and just taking the fight to him.”
Whittaker has racked up two impressive wins in 2024. By ending the year with a win over a huge name like Chimaev, he’ll most likely earn a title shot.
