Robert Whittaker thinks a fight with a fellow former UFC champion makes sense for him.
Whittaker (27-8 MMA, 17-6 UFC) is coming off a quick submission loss to Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 308 this past October, which put a halt to his two-fight winning streak. “The Reaper” likes the idea of facing Sean Strickland (29-7 MMA, 16-7 UFC), who broke his nose in a title loss to middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 312 earlier this month.
“I think Strickland makes a good argument to have because I feel like we’ve both been in that top sort of pond for a while, circling each other,” Whittaker said on the “On Paper with Anthony Smith” podcast. “I feel like for whatever reason we haven’t been matched up.
“But we’ve both been in proximity for a while, and it’s most likely the fight to make. I’m excited by that fight. I look at his style and I find it curious. I find it exciting to try and work out. He’s a tough dude, but I’m really proud of my skillset and confident in my skillset.”
Whittaker required dental surgery after his loss to Chimaev, but thinks a summer return against Strickland would work perfectly.
“So, I’ve just been working on some things, working on some new skillsets, but I want to come back this year in June,” Whittaker said. “That’s when I want to put my hand up to fight because it gives me a good amount of time to just continue doing what I’m doing, but also ease into a camp, camp properly, and come in, you know, my best self.”
