Robert Whittaker plans to make decision on light heavyweight move after next fight
Robert Whittaker is one of the all-time greats of the middleweight division. Could he close out his career with a light heavyweight run?
A former UFC champion at 185 pounds, Whittaker has previously teased the possibility of jumping up to 205 pounds, though he’s yet to commit to the move. On the most recent episode of his MMArcade Podcast, he was again asked about possibly changing divisions and he provided an updated timetable for when he’ll make a decision.
“I’m going to decide after this next fight,” Whittaker said. “So one more at middleweight at the very least depending on I’m going to really try and push the boundaries of muscle-to-weight ratio and everything and just see where we come up.”
In Whittaker’s most recent outing at UFC 308 this past October, he suffered a brutal submission loss to Khamzat Chimaev that saw his jaw dislocated by a Chimaev face crank. He’s yet to officially book his next fight, though he has said a bout with fellow former middleweight champion Sean Strickland makes sense.
Strickland is still Whittaker’s top choice and he has a June date in mind.
“That would be great,” Whittaker said. “International Fight Week.”
Should “The Reaper” change divisions, it wouldn’t be the first time he’s moved up in weight in the UFC. As a 21-year-old welterweight, Whittaker won an international edition of The Ultimate Fighter in 2012 to earn his UFC contract, then competed a handful of times in the division before moving to middleweight in 2014.
Whittaker thrived in his new weight class, rattling off six straight wins to set up a matchup with Yoel Romero for an interim title. He defeated Romero to claim the belt and was later elevated to undisputed champion. Though he eventually dropped his title to Israel Adesanya, he went on to rack up notable middleweight victories against the likes of Paulo Costa, Marvin Vettori, Kelvin Gastelum, Jared Cannonier, and Darren Till.
His only losses at 185 pounds are to Chimaev, Adesanya, and current champion Dricus du Plessis.