UFC Legacy Championship Belt (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
Former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker says he is “toying with the idea” of moving up to lightweight. He made this statement in one of his last episodes MMarcade Podcast.
Whittaker mentioned how much weight he needs to cut to make 185 pounds and mentioned that he’s a much bigger guy than most people think. He believes he could easily make 205 pounds, but the more obvious question is whether he can compete with the top fighters in the division.
RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA – JUNE 22: New Zealand’s Robert Whittaker reacts after his win against … [+]
The current heavyweight champion is Alex Pereira, and this doesn’t look like a great stylistic matchup for Whittaker. The number 1 contender is Magomed Ankalaev, whose combination of striking and heavy wrestling can present serious challenges.
The number 2 contender is Jiri Prochazka, while the number 3 is Kodra Jamahal.
Stylistically, the fighters who can give Whittaker the toughest tests in the welterweight division are the ones who can impose their will in grappling sequences. So Khamzat Chimaev scored an impressive first-round victory over Whittaker in October.
Would the lightweight heavyweights like Ankalaev and Jan Blachowicz be for Whittaker because of their size and strength? It remains to be seen. Whittaker didn’t seem to have made up his mind when he mentioned it.
Still, the move makes sense at this stage in his career. Whittaker just turned 34 and his path back to the middleweight title is unclear.
He has lost to current champion Dricus du Plessis, former champion Israel Adesanya and #3 ranked Chimaev. The only fighter ranked above him that he hasn’t faced is #1 contender Sean Strickland.
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – SEPTEMBER 10: (L-R) Sean Strickland takes out Nigeria’s Israel Adesanya with a … [+]
Strickland will face Du Plessis in February for a chance to regain the title he lost to the South African in January. Even if Strickland wins, Whittaker’s losses to du Plessis and Adesanya will put him firmly behind the other contenders.
Adesanya will fight No. 4 ranked Nassourdine Imavov on February 1 in Saudi Arabia. If Adesanya wins, Whittaker’s previous losses to him cement his position further down the line.
As Whittaker enters his mid-30s and has endured some crushing losses, it may be time to assess whether the lightweight offers a clearer path to a title shot. We’ll see what comes of Whittaker’s flirtations with the rise.
What’s next for the UFC?
The #1 MMA promotion in the world is still on a year-end hiatus. The first event of 2025 takes place on January 11 at UFC Apex, headlined by a rematch between Mackenzie Dern and Amanda Ribas. The two fought for the first time in October 2019, with Ribas winning by unanimous decision.
Following this event, the first pay-per-view of the year, UFC 311, will take place at The Intuit Dome in Los Angeles. The card features two championship bouts: Islam Makhachev defends his lightweight title against Arman Tsarukyan and Merab Dvalishvili defends his bantamweight belt against Umar Nurmagomedov.