Tag: Robert Whittaker

Robert Whittaker confident he’ll handle Khamzat Chimaev’s wrestling in UFC Saudi Arabia showdown

Robert Whittaker won’t be afraid to tussle on the ground with Khamzat Chimaev if necessary.

Former UFC middleweight champion [autotag]Robert Whittaker[/autotag] is not afraid to tussle on the ground with [autotag]Khamzat Chimaev[/autotag] when necessary.

Whittaker (25-7 MMA, 16-5 UFC) takes on Chimaev (13-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC) in the UFC on ABC 6 main event June 22 at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Chimaev has mauled numerous fighters on the ground – including Kamaru Usman in Round 1 of their UFC 294 fight. However, Whittaker doesn’t see Chimaev being able to do the same to him.

“He’s definitely got a really sound jiu-jitsu game, but he mixes it really well with his wrestling,” Whittaker told ESPN Australia. “I think what a lot of people aren’t ready for is the mixture of the two, making it really MMA-esque.

“Utilizing it up against the wall, using his strength with his long arms and tall frame to push his game plan on the fence, to push it to the ground. Whilst I definitely think he’s dangerous there, I’ve been grappling my entire life. I am very, very confident in my own skillsets. Even if it were a pure wrestling-jiu-jitsu format, I would hold my own if not get a W in that way too.”

With their fight being a five-round headliner, Whittaker knows he has the advantage there. He was able to outlast Olympic silver medalist Yoel Romero twice in championship fights.

“I definitely think the goal, much like all of my other opponents, is just to go out there and fight my fight,” Whittaker said. “It’s about going out there and pushing my game plan onto him and see how he adjusts to me because I bring an arsenal of skillsets that he’s not ready for, I believe. I think the surest way to victory is to go in there, obviously not play to his strengths, which is not engaging in the wrestling but not be afraid of it.

“I can wrestle with the best of them, and I’ve shown and proved that. I’m going to go in there, and I’m going to fight my fight. I’m going to fight a standup fight. I’m going to see where it goes. I’m going to drag it out. It’s a five-round fight. I’ve been in plenty of those, and I’ve got no quit in me, so let’s see how this goes.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ABC 6.

Robert Whittaker hopes Jiri Prochazka steers clear of UFC middleweight move because ‘then we’re enemies’

Robert Whittaker explains why he won’t be thrilled if Jiri Prochazka makes an eventual move down to the UFC middleweight division.

[autotag]Robert Whittaker[/autotag] won’t be thrilled if [autotag]Jiri Prochazka[/autotag] makes an eventual move down to the UFC middleweight division.

Former light heavyweight champion Prochazka (30-4-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) recently revealed one of the long-term career goals is to drop to 185 pounds. He first intends to recapture the belt at his current weight class, but is confident he could fight in the division 20 pounds lower.

Current middleweight titleholder Dricus Du Plessis encouraged Prochazka to come down, revealing the Czech athlete actually walks around at a lower weight than him outside of camp.

Former champ and current contender Whittaker (25-7 MMA, 16-5 UFC), however, isn’t as enthusiastic about the idea of Prochazka joining the division.

“I hope he doesn’t,” Whittaker said on the MMArcade Podcast. “I really hope he doesn’t (move to middleweight). I like the guy a lot, but if he enters the middleweight division, then we’re enemies. That’s just the nature of the game. They’re all enemies, except for my teammates.”

Whittaker said he doesn’t doubt Prochazka’s ability to cut the weight. However, he’s not as confident in the idea Prochazka would have the same effectiveness as a fighter.

“I can’t see him at (middleweight),” Whittaker said. “I’ve seen him in real life. I’ve been up close with him, and he’s big, dude. It’s not just his physical size. He’s got a big frame. Wide shoulders. He’s really tall. He’s 6-foot-4. But he’s a big, big guy. I think he has the mentalities to get (down in weight). Don’t get me wrong.

“If he wants to get to middleweight, he’ll do it. Whether or not it would be a good move, it’s hard to say. He’s smashing it at light heavy, and he’s said he’s still got goals there. Stay at light heavyweight so we can stay friends.”

Whittaker, No. 4 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie middleweight rankings, is set to return to the octagon against No. 8-ranked Khamzat Chimaev in the main event of UFC on ABC 6 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on June 22.

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ABC 6.

Robert Whittaker vs. Khamzat Chimaev: Odds and what to know ahead of UFC on ABC 6 headliner

Khamzat Chimaev is set for the next toughest test of his career against Robert Whittaker at UFC on ABC 6. Here’s what you need to know.

[autotag]Khamzat Chimaev[/autotag] got past one former UFC champion in his most recent fight, and this summer he’ll try to defeat another when he meets [autotag]Robert Whittaker[/autotag] in June.

Robert Whittaker vs. Khamzat Chimaev preview

Undefeated Chimaev (13-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC), No. 8 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie middleweight rankings, returns for the first time since September 2022, when he defeated former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman by majority decision. Chimaev’s other UFC victories include notables Gilbert Burns and Kevin Holland, among others.

Whittaker (25-7 MMA, 16-5 UFC), ranked No. 4, looks to continue the momentum he picked up from a unanimous decision victory over Paulo Costa in February. The win was his second in three fights and returned him to the win column after a TKO loss to Dricus Du Plessis.

Robert Whittaker vs. Khamzat Chimaev preliminary odds

Accord to preliminary odds on FanDuel, the fight is expected to be close, with Chimaev a slight favorite at -186, while Whittaker is listed as a +144 underdog.

How to watch Robert Whittaker vs. Khamzat Chimaev at UFC on ABC 6

When: Saturday, June 22, 2024

Where: Kingdom Arena, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Broadcast/streaming: ABC, ESPN+

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ABC 6.

Robert Whittaker: Israel Adesanya fighting for a UFC title again ‘hurts me’

The possibility of Israel Adesanya becoming champion again doesn’t spell out good news for Robert Whittaker.

The possibility of [autotag]Israel Adesanya[/autotag] becoming champion again doesn’t spell out good news for [autotag]Robert Whittaker[/autotag].

Middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis hinted in an Instagram post that he could be defending his title against Adesanya (24-3 MMA, 13-3 UFC) at UFC 305 Aug. 17 at RAC Arena in Perth, Western Australia.

“Looks like someone wants another beating in Aus..
I’m in, I also wouldn’t want to fight the king of Africa on home soil. Manifestations working good for you AGAIN!”

https://www.instagram.com/p/C5Q-BMlNnLH/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading

Whittaker’s fight vs. Khamzat Chimaev (13-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC) June 22 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, was declared a No. 1 contender bout by UFC CEO Dana White.

But considering that Whittaker (25-7 MMA, 16-5 UFC) has already lost to Adesanya twice in title fights, “The Stylebender” becoming champion could harm his chances at another title shot.

“I think Adesanya fighting for a title again hurts me, but I understand,” Whittaker said on his MMArcade Podcast. “Dricus asked for it. He’s the champ, gets what he wants. Adesanya is a draw. Mate, it seems like the fight that was going to happen, in my opinion.”

If Adesanya is indeed next, he will look to rebound from his upset championship loss to Sean Strickland this past September at UFC 293. Whittaker broke down how he sees the former champion fairing against Du Plessis.

“It’s an interesting fight,” Whittaker said. “I can see Adesanya just piecing him up for five rounds. But in saying that, Dricus is tough as nails, and he’s awkward. I can also see Dricus just getting in there and just making it awkward, and taking him out of his rhythm.

“We saw when Adesanya fought Strickland, Strickland pushing that pace and moving into his space changed the rhythm of the fight. Adesanya didn’t adapt to that very well. I think if Dricus does the same, he might have the same sort of success.”

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Robert Whittaker plans to shake Khamzat Chimaev’s ‘undoubted confidence’ at UFC Saudi Arabia

Robert Whittaker aims to make Khamzat Chimaev uncomfortable by dragging him into unchartered waters.

[autotag]Robert Whittaker[/autotag] aims to put [autotag]Khamzat Chimaev[/autotag] in unchartered waters.

Whittaker (25-7 MMA, 16-5 UFC) faces Chimaev (13-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC) in a five-round UFC main event June 22 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, which airs on ABC. The former middleweight champion likes the challenge of facing unbeaten Chimaev, a matchup that not too many people are clamoring for.

“It’s perfect for me to be able to get another one in,” Whittaker said on the “MIGHTYcast” podcast. “Then you put the fact that it’s against Chimaev who, you know, he’s got a lot of hype and stuff. It’s going to bring a lot of eyes. He is the boogeyman in the division at the moment.

“Nobody wants to fight him. No one wants to have a go with him. So, I get to have that run at him, which will be fun. I think that they’re the fights that excite me because they’re the tests. They’re the type of fights I get a lot of honor and pride out of.”

Whittaker, who’s coming off a win over Paulo Costa at UFC 298, thinks Chimaev will have a hard time getting him down to the mat. He expects to get the better of him on the feet, too.

“I’d like to think that I’m going to go in there with a speed advantage and a striking advantage,” Whittaker said. “I’m going in there thinking that his – I think one of his greatest strengths is the fact that he can force the wrestling on people. I think it’s going to be a little harder to force the wrestling on me, just because of my distance, because of my control of spacing.

“I’m really looking forward to this fight. I think it’s going to be a hard fight. I’m going to take that same mentality into this fight and look to take him to war and just earn this win. I’m going to earn this win, and this puts me in perfect direction for a title shot and condition for a title shot, which has always been the goal.”

Chimaev has been on a tear in the UFC but was pushed in two of his recent fights against Gilbert Burns and Kamaru Usman. Although he outlasted both, Whittaker thinks he can test Chimaev over five rounds.

“I think ‘impress’ is the wrong word,” Whittaker said on Chimaev. “I think he’s a good fighter, and I think he’s got a great head space for the craft. He knows what he does well, and he goes out there with undoubted confidence in what he can do.

“That makes a very dangerous recipe, but also it’s something that, if it gets shaken, then you don’t know which way the cards are going to fall. So, I’m looking forward to testing that, to see how big the hype is.”

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Video: Review of Robert Whittaker vs. Khamzat Chimaev and UFC Saudi Arabia

What to make of the announced fights for UFC Saudi Arabia, including Robert Whittaker vs. Khamzat Chimaev? We discuss on “Spinning Back Clique.”

On the latest episode of “Spinning Back Clique,” the panel discusses the booking between [autotag]Robert Whittaker[/autotag] and [autotag]Khamzat Chimaev[/autotag], along with a review of the UFC Saudi Arabia card.

Last week, UFC CEO Dana White announced many of the key matchups for the UFC’s debut event in Saudi Arabia, which is scheduled to take place June 22. These fight announcements included the main event pitting Whittaker (25-7 MMA, 16-5 UFC) against Chimaev (13-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC).

So what do we make about this middleweight booking and the rest of the main card?

MMA Junkie’s Brian “Goze” Garcia, Danny Segura, Nolan King, host “Gorgeous” George Garcia reacted to the lineup.

Watch their discussion in the video above, and also don’t miss this week’s complete episode of “Spinning Back Clique” below on YouTube and in podcast form.

https://youtube.com/live/f9e84PpMjN0

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Michael Bisping says Khamzat Chimaev should be ‘automatically’ concerned about Robert Whittaker matchup

The way Michael Bisping sees it, Robert Whittaker is a VERY tough opponent for Khamzat Chimaev’s first five-round fight.

[autotag]Michael Bisping[/autotag] doesn’t like [autotag]Khamzat Chimaev[/autotag]’s chances against [autotag]Robert Whittaker[/autotag] if they reach the championship rounds.

Chimaev (13-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC) faces former middleweight champ Whittaker (25-7 MMA, 16-5 UFC) in a five-round headliner June 22 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, which airs on ABC.

With Whittaker being the first five-round fight of Chimaev’s career, Bisping believes that could spell disaster for the undefeated fighter.

“Automatically, if you’re in the corner of Khamzat Chimaev, you’ve got to be concerned,” Bisping said on his “Believe You Me” podcast. “One thing Robert Whittaker is not going to do is run out of gas. He’s a very, very experienced fighter fighting at the highest level for a long time. Without getting into the Xs and Os, the obvious thing is Khamzat always gasses.

“He’s a tremendous force of nature, the way he takes people down and dominates them right from the opening bell. He did the same thing against Kamaru Usman. Granted, didn’t get the finish, but he definitely did slow down. Against Gilbert Burns, same thing. He had a great Round 1. (Rounds) 2 and 3 were kind of close. Five rounds against somebody like Robert Whittaker, if he can’t finish him early, that could be a disastrous night for him in Saudi Arabia.”

Whittaker has gone the full 25 minutes on six different occasions, emerging victorious in four of them – including back-to-back wins over Yoel Romero.

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Spinning Back Clique REPLAY: UFC on ESPN 54, Brandon Moreno’s hiatus from MMA, Whittaker-Chimaev, more

On this week’s episode of “Spinning Back Clique,” our panel discusses UFC on ESPN 54, Brandon Moreno’s hiatus from MMA, and more.

Check out this week’s “Spinning Back Clique,” MMA Junkie’s weekly live show that takes a spin through the biggest topics in mixed martial arts.

This week’s panel of Brian “Goze” Garcia, Danny Segura, and Nolan King will join host “Gorgeous” George Garcia live at noon ET (9 a.m. PT) to discuss and debate:

  • UFC on ESPN 54 is in the books, and it left plenty to talk about, including [autotag]Manon Fiorot[/autotag]’s win over Erin Blanchfield and where she fits into the title picture at women’s flyweight; [autotag]Joaquin Buckley[/autotag]’s 3-0 start in his return to welterweight; [autotag]Chris Weidman[/autotag]’s controversial win over Bruno Silva and his future in MMA. We recap the main results of Saturday’s event in Atlantic City.
  • Sad news for the men’s flyweight. Arguably the division’s most popular name has announced a hiatus from MMA. Former champion [autotag]Brandon Moreno[/autotag] revealed that he’s in need of a break from fighting and that he will be stepping away for some time, but he promises to come back eventually. We react to the news and its impact on the flyweight division.
  • The UFC’s debut event in Saudi Arabia is taking shape. UFC CEO Dana White announced several key matchups for the June 22 event, including a title eliminator bout between [autotag]Robert Whittaker[/autotag] and [autotag]Khamzhat Chimaev[/autotag] – which will serve as the main event of the card. We break down Whittaker vs. Chimaev, along with the rest of the fights announced.
  • Things got weird earlier this month when [autotag]Igor Severino[/autotag] got disqualified, and later cut from the UFC, after biting his opponent Andre Lima at UFC on ESPN 53. We heard almost immediately after the incident from Lima, UFC CEO Dana White, the Nevada Athletic Commission, but this Severino broke silence in an exclusive interview with MMA Junkie. We discuss the whole incident as well as Severino’s recent comments.

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Joe Rogan: Robert Whittaker ‘a real fight’ for Khamzat Chimaev

Joe Rogan thinks Robert Whittaker will present a serious test for Khamzat Chimaev.

[autotag]Joe Rogan[/autotag] thinks [autotag]Robert Whittaker[/autotag] will present a serious test for [autotag]Khamzat Chimaev[/autotag].

Chimaev (13-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC) and former middleweight champion Whittaker (25-7 MMA, 16-5 UFC) will square off in a five-round headliner June 22 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The main card will air on ABC.

Whittaker is coming off an impressive win over Paulo Costa at UFC 298. Meanwhile, Chimaev hasn’t competed since outlasting former welterweight champ Kamaru Usman, who stepped in on 10 days’ notice to face “Borz” in a 185-pound bout at UFC 294.

“Whittaker vs. Khamzat Chimaev in Saudi Arabia, that one is going to be f*cking wild. That’s a wild one,” Rogan said on a recent episode of “The Joe Rogan Experience” with Joey Diaz. “That is a wild fight. … Whittaker vs. Khamzat is legit. That’s a real fight. That’s a real fight for Khamzat because Whittaker is a big dude. He’s a big, solid, beefy 185, former champion. Both guys started at 170, but it was too hard to make the 170. That’s a real 185er.”

As accomplished as Usman is, Rogan doesn’t put too much stock in Chimaev’s win over him.

“They gave him Kamaru Usman and Kamaru didn’t have a chance to prepare for that,” Rogan said. “He had 10 days. That’s not enough time. I don’t know what kind of shape he was in. He’s always in shape, but famously, Kamaru has bad knees – like real bad knees. So I don’t know how hard he was training or whether or not he prepares. Maybe he only sacrifices his knees during training and then when he’s not training for a fight, he takes it easy, so he doesn’t stay in the same kind of shape. I know he was winning in the third round.

“If that was a five-round fight, who knows how the f*ck that fight would have went. Obviously, Kamaru is world-championship caliber, the best welterweight of all time by most people’s accounts. It’s not enough time. It’s not enough time to get a guy to prepare for Khamzat. At least we got a chance to see what Khamzat looks like against a world-class, world championship-caliber fighter. This is a big one. This is Robert Whittaker with plenty of time to prepare – a guy who is just as legit as they get (and) just beat Paulo Costa. That’s a good fight. I like that.”

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UFC Saudi Arabia odds: Khamzat Chimaev opens up as betting favorite over Robert Whittaker

Oddsmakers are slightly favoring Khamzat Chimaev over Robert Whittaker.

Oddsmakers are slightly favoring [autotag]Khamzat Chimaev[/autotag] over [autotag]Robert Whittaker[/autotag].

Chimaev (13-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC) takes on Whittaker (25-7 MMA, 16-5 UFC) in a five-round headliner June 22 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The main card will air on ABC.

According to SportsBetting, Chimaev is a -175 favorite, meaning a $175 bet on the unbeaten contender would return $100 profit. Whittaker is a +150 underdog, meaning a $100 bet on the former champion would win $150 profit.

Chimaev has yet to lose in his professional MMA career. After running through his first four UFC opponents, he outlasted Gilbert Burns in an all-out war at UFC 273. He then quickly tapped out Kevin Holland, before returning to 185 pounds to edge out former welterweight champ Kamaru Usman at UFC 294.

Whittaker’s only losses at middleweight came in title fights against Israel Adesanya until he ran into current champ Dricus Du Plessis, who finished him by TKO at UFC 290. However, Whittaker was able to rebound by defeating Paulo Costa in an entertaining scrap at UFC 298.

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