Robert Whittaker got here in clutch on the UFC’s large debut card in Saudi Arabia, and now he might do the identical at UFC 305 in Perth, Australia.
The previous champion and middleweight contender accepted a last-minute change in opponents Saturday, knocking out the robust however untested Ikram Aliskerov within the first spherical of their Riyadh foremost occasion (watch the highlights right here).
Following the massive win, “Bobby Knuckles” sounded excited on the prospect of enjoying the position of backup in case something occurred to UFC 305’s headline title combat between Dricus Du Plessis and Israel Adesanya.
Robert Whittaker desires to be a back-up fighter for #UFC305 in Perth. He stated that it might be foolish for him to not do.
He prefers to combat Dricus Du Plessis, however Adesanya continues to be on his goal.
YT @espnmma pic.twitter.com/PrmuhsTkvK
— House of Combat (@Home_of_Fight) June 23, 2024
“Perth is across the nook from me so, it might be foolish for me to not be a backup fighter in that regard,” he advised Michael Bisping throughout a post-show interview on ESPN. “Particularly with the win that I had tonight and the form that I’m in. It simply makes logical sense for me.”
As for who he’d choose to combat on August seventeenth?
“I’d wish to combat Dricus, run it again with Dricus as a result of I felt like I let myself down there,” Whittaker stated. “I’d wish to run that again. However Izzy continues to be on the listing as nicely. So, both, both.”
He pulled issues again a bit throughout the UFC Saudi Arabia post-fight press convention, saying it was a choice that must be made amongst Staff Reaper.
“I do want to return, to speak to my group,” he added. “I took this combat quick discover, form of pushed numerous issues round, so I wish to return and speak to my group.”
A person’s gotta receives a commission, so it is smart for him to not be too desperate to step in with out a first rate deal in place. However Dana White sounded very desperate to lock up a strong Australian backup given how tumultuous issues have been currently.
“I’m not kidding you, no person within the prime 15 wished to combat [Aliskerov],” White stated about Whittaker’s efficiency in Saudi Arabia. “This man would’ve been the co-main occasion final weekend. He had a full camp. He got here in. Khamzat calls this man one of many hardest fights he’s ever had and Whittaker made it look straightforward tonight. He appeared like a stud. We’d like to have him [as backup for UFC 305].”
