Former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker plans to reinvent himself and insists that his career has yet to pass the stage of title contention. After a tough loss to Khazmat Chimaev at UFC 308, Whittaker is back in the gym working on a new fighting style to rejuvenate his career in the middleweight division.
Whittaker’s Painful Setback at UFC 308
Whittaker proved his fan-favourite status by accepting a rematch against the middleweight division’s bogeyman. Their first fight fell through when Chimaev’s illness hospitalised him.
At UFC 308, Whittaker knew this fight would be one of the toughest challenges of his career so far; the fight began in the worst possible way, with Chimaev showing the devastating wrestling that had seen him run through the division when he came into the UFC. He quickly landed a takedown on ‘The Reaper’, secured a dominant position and transitioned to take the back to lock in a face crank, forcing Whittaker to submit; Chimaev became the first person to submit Whittaker since 2011, with the face crank rearranging his teeth and requiring surgery. Whittaker has said since the fight that he has suffered issues with his teeth for years that were caused by a long-time health problem.
Despite the setback, Whittaker is already plotting his return to the top of the division. “I’m 34 in December,” Whittaker revealed on the MMArcade podcast. “I still have some tricks up my sleeve, and I still have some goals I want to hit. I am fiddling with some new skills.”
Robert Whittaker’s Fighting Style Evolution
Whittaker admitted that his fighting style, which won him the title in 2017, may now be too predictable in today’s more technical MMA world, with fighters studying more tape on their opponents than ever.
“I’ve been fighting the same way for about 12 years,” Whittaker explained. “A lot of these new guys coming up watched me when they were kids. So, I think the manuscript on how I fight is out there; it’s time to change things up a little.”
While he acknowledges that this transformation is still a work in progress, Whittaker is confident about its potential. “I’m gonna surprise some people. Let’s leave it at that for now,” he said, while also pointing out the new styles infancy, “The style’s not working yet, but we are working on it.”
Middleweight Division Heating Up
Robert Whittaker’s fighting style is evolving, and he is determined to remain a top contender in the middleweight division. After Chimaev’s incredibly impressive performance at UFC 309, he is being touted as the next contender for Dricus du Plessis’ title. On the other hand, former champion Sean Strickland, who narrowly lost to ‘DDP’ last year in a split decision, was avouched to get the next shot and rematch for the title, meaning he has been on the sidelines waiting on the shot since he defeated Paulo Costa in June.
Strickland’s decision to wait for a rematch has drawn mixed reactions from fans and fighters alike. While some believe he has earned the right to bide his time, others, like Whittaker, see inactivity as a poor choice in a constantly evolving division, “I don’t think sitting out should be rewarded, ever.” Whittaker’s comments reflect the choices he has made in his career, as he has always vowed to stay active and took whatever fights were thrown his way.
What’s next for ‘Bobby Knuckle’s’?
As he refines his new fighting style, Whittaker plans to reinvent himself and ensures that his career is far from over. Fans eagerly await the debut of Robert Whittaker’s new fighting style, which he believes will surprise his opponents in 2025. Whittaker will be in more exciting matchups in the middleweight division, and as a fan favourite, the division is a much better place, with Whittaker among the top of it.
Featured image credits to Embed from Getty Images
