Is it time for Robert Whittaker to maneuver to mild heavyweight?
Regardless of holding down a spot within the middleweight high 5, ‘The Reaper’ finds himself in a tricky spot after failing to see his hand raised in opposition to the division’s reigning champion Dricus Du Plessis, and struggling a brutal first-round submission loss in opposition to undefeated Chechen monster Khamzat Chimaev.
Because of this, Whittaker might be ready a very long time for an additional crack at 185-pound gold, main some to invest that he may high-tail it for mild heavyweight the place the contender’s pool is loads thinner.
One man who loves the concept of Whittaker making the transfer is three-time UFC title challenger Chael Sonnen.
“I like the concept of Whittaker at 205 kilos,” Sonnen stated on his YouTube channel. “I absolutely consider that he has the abilities to change into world champion. At 185, I feel they’re going to play musical chairs there. I feel that belt’s going to bounce round. I feel we’re within the technique of seeing that. Strick—Strickland was champion, and he dropped it. Du Plessis—Strick’s about to go get his belt again. It’s going to be form of musical chairs.”
does Robert Whittaker have a path again to the middleweight title?
Already arising quick in opposition to Du Plessis, Chimaev, and Israel Adesanya on two separate events, there are only a few paths again to the middleweight title for Robert Whittaker. The very best-case state of affairs would see Sean Strickland take again the title from ‘DDP’ at UFC 312 on February 8, however even then, ‘The Reaper’ would nonetheless have to take a seat again and see if Strickland can fend off Chimaev who, by all accounts, would be the subsequent man up.
There’s all the time a trilogy combat in opposition to Adesanya, however with ‘The Final Stylebender’ already going two-up on Whittaker, there’s not a lot of a requirement for the threequel.
After which there’s Whittaker’s lack of showmanship which isn’t doing him any favors in response to ‘The American Gangster.’
“What I don’t know at 185 is an affordable path again to the Robert Whittaker Transfer Up The Gentle Heavyweight? Former UFC Contender Says He Loves The Concept alternative. That’s one other factor that will get very robust once you’ve been round a very long time and also you’ve fought all people. It’s arduous. And Whittaker doesn’t embrace the leisure period that he’s dwelling by way of.
“He largely doesn’t, as a result of I hear Whittaker discuss—he’s nice. He’s a good-looking man. He’s obtained this nice story. He doesn’t know these issues. He doesn’t know he’s a cool man. He’s one among… he’s one among these. And I like the concept of him going to 205 kilos. I can’t match him up immediately, I gotta inform you. I don’t—I don’t have that match-up immediately. Like, Robert Whittaker versus Anthony Smith could be very fascinating to me.”
Whittaker is 17-6 underneath the UFC banner with all however two of his victories coming inside the space.
