Former UFC middleweight kingpin Robert Whittaker outlined his plans for 2026 and expressed a desire to do something different.
Whittaker has lost his previous two bouts. In 2024, when he locked horns with Khamzat Chimaev, the latter submitted him with a rare-naked choke-cum-face-crank. Due to the choke, Whittaker suffered a dental injury.
After surgery and rehabilitation, he made his return earlier this year against an in-form Reinier de Ridder. After a hard-fought five-rounder, although the Australian landed the more damaging shots, ‘RDR’ stole the show with clinch strikes and overall damage and cruised to a split decision victory.