Robert Whittaker has fought both of the men who make up the next UFC middleweight title fight, losing to champion Dricus du Plessis in 2023 and challenger Khamzat Chimaev in 2024.
Whittaker will be among those paying close attention to the UFC 319 main event when the Octagon touches back down in Chicago for its next pay-per-view on August 16.
The headline act will see Chimaev challenge Du Plessis’ UFC middleweight title reign, looking to do what both Sean Strickland and Israel Adesanya could not by unseating the South African.
Adesanya shared his Du Plessis vs. Chimaev pick, having fallen via submission to ‘Stillknocks’ in August 2024. But ‘The Reaper’ may be better placed to break down the upcoming championship clash given that he’s fought both men.
Robert Whittaker says Khamzat Chimaev must finish Dricus du Plessis in round one
During a recent appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show, Whittaker previewed his return and looked ahead to the clash between two of his former opponents.
The UFC 319 headliners mark two of the three middleweights who have stopped the Australian inside the distance. Du Plessis upset Whittaker with a shock knockout in round two at International Fight Week in 2023. The South African’s next opponent went a step further, with Chimaev submitting Whittaker in under four minutes courtesy of a face crank that displaced the former champion’s front teeth.
With that, Whittaker is well aware of both men’s talents. And ‘The Reaper’ thinks the result could come down to something simple — either Chimaev finishes Du Plessis in round one or the title stays with ‘Stillknocks’.
“Chimaev is going to get him to the ground,” Whittaker said. “If he doesn’t finish him there, I don’t think he wins. That’s just how I feel.
“If you can’t get Dricus out in the first, which Chimaev can do — first-round finishes is his thing, right? — but if he doesn’t get him out of there, I think Dricus looks good, very promising.
“He’s a guy that if you don’t get rid of, he kind of wins,” Whittaker added.
Robert Whittaker’s path to a rematch begins at UFC Abu Dhabi
Regardless of who wins at UFC 319, Whittaker will be eyeing up a rematch with the champion.
After healing from the gruesome injuries he suffered from Chimaev’s brutal face crank, ‘The Reaper’ is returning to action this Saturday to headline the latest UFC Fight Night in Abu Dhabi.
Following Whittaker’s quick knockout against Ikram Aliskerov in Saudi Arabia last summer, the Australian will be looking to recapture that form in his third straight outing in the Middle East.
Tasked with preventing that from happening is Reinier de Ridder, a former two-division ONE Championship titleholder who has gone 3-0 in the UFC thus far.