Robert Whittaker News

BJ Penn Staff - June 5, 2025

Former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker has responded to a bit of trash talk from a fairly surprising source: featherweight contender Yair Rodriguez. Mexico’s Rodriguez is one of the top contenders in the UFC featherweight division at the moment. However, he was decisively beaten by Australian champion Alexander Volkanovski just a few years ago, and is widely seen as less deserving of a title shot than Russia’s Movsar Evloev, who has never lost a fight.

Fernando Quiles Jr. - May 12, 2025

One former UFC champion is baffled by Belal Muhammad’s strategy in his UFC 315 loss to Jack Della Maddalena. Muhammad put the UFC Welterweight Championship at stake for the first time this past Saturday. “Remember the Name” hung in tough throughout the title fight, but the striking of Maddalena was on point. Muhammad also didn’t have the same success in the grappling that he’s been used to, and all factors ultimately led to a unanimous decision win for Maddalena.

Fernando Quiles Jr. - April 7, 2025

Robert Whittaker believes there is one important factor when it comes to the potential outcome of Alexander Volkanovski vs. Diego Lopes. Volkanovski and Lopes will collide in the UFC 314 headliner. The bout will be contested for the vacant UFC Featherweight Championship. Champion Ilia Topuria is moving on from 145 pounds, and the title will officially become vacant once Volkanovski vs. Lopes begins in Miami.

Fernando Quiles Jr. - March 26, 2025

One surging UFC middleweight didn’t take too kindly to Robert Whittaker’s recent comments. Whittaker has made it clear that he’s eyeing a summer showdown with fellow ex-UFC middleweight titleholder Sean Strickland. Despite this, “The Reaper” has been called out by rising contenders such as Caio Borralho and Roman Dolidze.

Fernando Quiles Jr. - March 16, 2025

Robert Whittaker has no interest in fighting Roman Dolidze at this time. Dolidze shared the Octagon with Marvin Vettori in the main event of UFC Vegas 104 this past Saturday. This was a rematch from their 2023 encounter, which was won by Vettori. This time, it was Dolidze who scored the unanimous decision victory in another competitive fight.

Harry Kettle - March 5, 2025

Robert Whittaker has urged Magomed Ankalaev to use his wrestling in his huge title fight against Alex Pereira at UFC 313 this weekend. On Saturday night, Magomed Ankalaev will challenge Alex Pereira for the UFC light heavyweight championship. As we know, this is easily the biggest fight of his career to date. He’s been in there with some tough guys in the past, but nobody quite like ‘Poatan’.

Fernando Quiles Jr. - March 3, 2025

Robert Whittaker has been called out by a rising 185-pound contender. Whittaker has been a mainstay in the UFC middleweight division. The former 185-pound champion has beaten the likes of Yoel Romero, Jared Cannonier, Marvin Vettori, and Paulo Costa to name a few. After suffering a first-round submission loss to Khamzat Chimaev, Whittaker has turned his attention to what’s next. He’s thrown out the possibility of a showdown with Sean Strickland.

Fernando Quiles Jr. - February 26, 2025

Robert Whittaker thinks a showdown with Sean Strickland makes sense for his next fight. Whittaker and Strickland are both coming off losses. “The Reaper” was submitted by Khamzat Chimaev and needed to have work done on his bottom teeth following the bout. Strickland fell short in his bid to become a two-time UFC Middleweight Champion, dropping a unanimous decision to Dricus du Plessis back in January.

Harry Kettle - February 12, 2025

UFC legend Israel Adesanya has explained why he’s now able to be friends with the likes of Alex Pereira and Robert Whittaker. As we know, Israel Adesanya is easily one of the best middleweights of all time. In many ways, he’s one of the most notable fighters to have ever competed in the UFC – and perhaps mixed martial arts as a whole. Nowadays, however, he’s going through a rough patch in the cage, and that much is an understatement.

Fernando Quiles Jr. - January 27, 2025

Robert Whittaker believes he knows the biggest challenge that lies ahead of UFC Saudi Arabia for Israel Adesanya. Whittaker and Adesanya have become quite chummy recently. The two now train together, and “The Reaper” helped “The Last Stylebender” prepare for Nassourdine Imavov. Adesanya and Imavov will collide this Saturday in the main event of a UFC Saudi Arabia card.

Josh Evanoff - January 22, 2025

Former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker has buried the hatchet with Israel Adesanya. ‘The Reaper’ and ‘The Last Stylebender’ famously have had two clashes for UFC gold. They first met in late 2019, in Robert Whittaker’s first title defense. Over a year after going to war with Yoel Romero for five rounds, the champion met interim champion, Israel Adesanya. In Whittaker’s absence, he scored a decision win over Kelvin Gastelum to claim interim gold.

Josh Evanoff - January 22, 2025

Former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker is healing well from his fight with Khamzat Chimaev. ‘The Reaper’ and ‘Borz’ met in the co-main event of UFC 308 in late October. Back for the first time since scoring a knockout win over Ikram Aliskerov in June, Robert Whittaker hoped to secure a title shot. Meanwhile, Khamzat Chimaev last appeared in the cage last October, scoring a decision victory over Kamaru Usman.

Harry Kettle - January 13, 2025

UFC icons Robert Whittaker and Israel Adesanya trained together recently, for what seems to be the first time ever. As we know, Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker are two of the greatest middleweights of all time. Some may view that as an overstatement, but it really isn’t. Whittaker is a former champion and has been able to run through many of the other top middleweights of his generation. Adesanya, meanwhile, is one of the best champions of his era, and is a two-time title holder at 185 pounds.

Fernando Quiles Jr. - December 27, 2024

One notable name in the UFC history books is vouching for the idea of Robert Whittaker moving up to light heavyweight. Whittaker was recently asked on his podcast about a potential change in weight class. The former UFC middleweight champion ruled out a return to the welterweight division. With that said, “The Reaper” did throw out the possibility of moving up to light heavyweight.

Harry Kettle - December 23, 2024

UFC legend Robert Whittaker has teased the idea of moving up to light heavyweight for his next fight in the Octagon. As we know, Robert Whittaker is a real fan favorite in the world of mixed martial arts. He’s achieved some incredible things in the sport over the years, and his fun fight style runs nicely alongside his great personality. Alas, in his most recent fight, he suffered a big setback in the form of a brutal submission defeat to Khamzat Chimaev.

Fernando Quiles Jr. - December 20, 2024

One former UFC titleholder believes Khamzat Chimaev would be able to dethrone the current light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira. Rumors have been swirling since Pereira took to social media to claim that Magomed Ankalaev will not be his next title challenger. Some have speculated that Chimaev will move up from 185 pounds to challenge Pereira for the gold at light heavyweight.

Fernando Quiles Jr. - November 26, 2024

Robert Whittaker has given an update on his bottom teeth following UFC 308, and it sounds like a dental nightmare. Whittaker was in action against Khamzat Chimaev back in October. This was a highly anticipated middleweight clash that had an emphatic finish. Chimaev took Whittaker down in the opening frame and forced him to tap out immediately from a face crank. As it turns out, Whittaker had intense pain from his bottom teeth.

Cole Shelton - October 28, 2024

The UFC was in Abu Dhabi, Dubai on Saturday for a solid UFC 308 fight card. In the main event, Ilia Topuria was defending his featherweight title against Max Holloway. The co-main event saw Robert Whittaker taking on Khamzat Chimaev in a highly-anticipated middleweight bout.