Breaking! Robert Whittaker returns at UFC 254 for number one contender bout with Jared Cannonier

Former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker will be making a quick turnaround following his unanimous decision victory over Darren Till.

Whittaker defeated the Liverpool native in the headliner of last weekend’s UFC Fight Island 3 event in Abu Dhabi and has already booked his next Octagon appearance.

That news comes from ESPN‘s Brett Okamoto, who reported the following on Twitter.

Breaking: Robert Whittaker (@robwhittakermma) vs. Jared Cannonier (@killagorillamma), UFC 254 on Oct. 24. Per UFC president Dana White (@danawhite). Gotta believe that will determine the next No. 1 contender. Prediction? pic.twitter.com/vS10FcEoie

— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) August 1, 2020

“Breaking: Robert Whittaker vs. Jared Cannonier at UFC 254 on Octover 24th per UFC president Dana White. Gotta believe that will determine the next No. 1 contender.”

Prior to his victory over Darren Till this past weekend, Robert Whittaker (21-5 MMA) was coming off a knockout loss to Israel Adesanya at UFC 243 where he surrendered his middleweight title. That setback had snapped a nine-fight winning streak for the New Zealand-born mixed martial artist.

Meanwhile, Jared Cannonier (13 -4 MMA) will enter UFC 254 on a three-fight win streak, his latest being a TKO victory over Jack Hermansson. Since dropping down to middleweight in November of 2018, ‘The Killa Gorilla’ has gone a perfect 3-0 with all three victories coming by way of stoppage.

Robert Whittaker and Jared Cannonier were initially slated to square off at UFC 248. However that bout failed to come to fruition after the former champ in Whittaker was forced to pull out for personal reasons.

It is expected that the winner of this key middleweight clash at UFC 254 will be the next man to challenge for 185lbs gold. Reigning middleweight champion Israel Adesanya is expected to defend his title against Paulo Costa at UFC 253, so the timing works out almost perfect.

Who are you picking to emerge victorious when Robert Whittaker and Jared Cannonier clash at UFC 254 this October? Share your predictions in the comments section PENN Nation!

on August 1, 2020