He finds himself at a critical juncture in his career following his recent TKO loss to Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 290
Robert Whittaker a former UFC middleweight champion. He finds himself at a critical juncture in his career following his recent TKO loss to Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 290. The defeat was a significant setback for Whittaker. He was previously on a winning streak after losing the title to Israel Adesanya. However, the middleweight division’s dynamics have opened up new possibilities for his next fight. Whittaker now contemplates a potential showdown with Sean Strickland. As circumstances suggest that Strickland might not be challenging Adesanya anytime soon.
Prior to Whittaker’s loss to Du Plessis. Sean Strickland had been pegged as a potential title challenger for middleweight champion Israel Adesanya at UFC 293 in Sydney. Adesanya himself had indicated that Dricus Du Plessis was dealing with a foot injury. Leading to speculation about Strickland getting the opportunity. However, it appears that plans have shifted leaving Strickland’s title shot uncertain.
With the prospects of Strickland facing Adesanya in September looking less likely. Robert Whittaker sees an opening for a potential matchup against Strickland. During an episode of his MMArcade Podcast, Whittaker discussed his thoughts on the situation. He acknowledged that they had initially ruled out Strickland due to the assumption that he would be fighting Adesanya. But now, Whittaker is not excluding the possibility of facing him in his next fight.
Whittaker believes that Strickland might not jump ahead of Dricus Du Plessis in the title contention race if they don’t face each other in September. This opens the door for Whittaker to enter the discussion as a potential opponent for Strickland. While the middleweight division’s landscape is complex. Whittaker remains optimistic about the chances of a matchup with Strickland.
The loss to Dricus Du Plessis was Whittaker’s first at 185 pounds, outside of his title-fight setbacks against Adesanya. Despite the setback, Whittaker has wasted no time getting back to the gym and resuming training. He is eager to return to the winning track and prove that he remains a force to be reckoned with in the middleweight division.
Whittaker’s determination and resilience are evident as he keeps a close eye on the developments in the middleweight division. He acknowledges that the division is somewhat backed up, but this hasn’t deterred him from preparing diligently for his next challenge.
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