Robert Whittaker returns this weekend at UFC Paris to take on fellow top middleweight contender Marvin Vettori – but the former champ has been giving some thought to trying his hand at the UFC’s light heavyweight division.
“I’ve been thinking about 205 a fair bit,” Whittaker told Australian outfit Submission Radio in a recent interview. “The problem is, I wouldn’t go to 205 to come back down to 185. Just because I don’t want to go to 205 as a fat 185, right? You see a lot of guys try that and they just get starched. And then they come back down. It doesn’t make sense.”
At just 31 years old and still at the top of the pile at 185-pounds, the Australian isn’t quite ready to make the call just yet; but he did note that there are some pros, as well as cons, that come along with such a move.
“I think it will be a more natural weight for me, personally, but the height disadvantage is annoying. I don’t know if I would want to deal with that… Once I make the decision to go up to 205, I’m there. That’ll be my division. I’d finish my career there, for better or worse.
The AllStar MMA roundup
- UFC 280: Pride won’t stop Alex Volkanovski from playing backup at UFC 280 – ‘Imagine having the pound for pound ready’
- UFC 279: Darian Weeks clarifies UFC Paris dropout, ready to open UFC 279 with a bang
- UFC 279: Fighting Colby Covington in Brazil ‘would be a dream’ for Gilbert Burns
The best of the rest
- Zabit Magomedsharipov reveals broken promises by UFC fueled his decision to retire; ‘I got mad’ – LowKickMMA.com
- UFC hopeful Top Noi Kiwram explains ritual of smoking cigarettes before fights – MMAFighting.com
- Demetrious Johnson open to Adriano Moraes trilogy bout or top contender Kairat Akhmetov next – MMAjunkie.com
- Cain Velasquez attorney Mark Geragos gives updates ahead of pre-trial hearing: ‘There are going to be some surprises’ – MMAJunkie.com
- Werdum targets boxing debut after retiring from MMA, eyes ‘two or three’ superfights – BloodyElbow.com
The soapbox
Demetrious Johnson admires his own handy work, Volk agrees:
Volk then gives props to Nick Kyrgios for his fashion choice:
Nick Diaz returns:
A poignant statement:
John Dodson is fighting fit in BKFC:
Paulo gets his post-fight photo:
Zuck gets a new fan:
And Dillon Danis is is apparently fighting Logan Paul:
The morning view
JHK catches up with Tanner Boser ahead of UFC Vegas 60:
Eternal featherweight champ Jack Jenkins stops in for a chat ahead of his September 27 Contender Series bout:
MMA On Point details 10 things The UFC needs to bring back:
Done deals
Monday:
- Melsik Baghdasaryan to fight Joanderson Brito at UFC event on October 15th (per Maranhao MMA)
- Maxim Grishin to fight Philipe Lins at UFC event on October 1st (per Raphael Marinho)
- Alexey Oleynik to fight Ilir Latifi at UFC event on October 1st ( per MMA Fight Universe)
- Muslim Salikhov to fight Andre Fialho at UFC event on November 19th (per Full Violence)
- Angela Hill to fight Emily Ducote at UFC event on December 3rd (per Nolan King)
On this day in MMA…
On this day in 2009, Randy Couture fought Antonio Rodrigo Nogueria at UFC 102 in Portland, Oregon.
Nogueria would defeat Couture via unanimous decision after three rounds in what has been labeled as one of the greatest heavyweight fights of all time.
The pair of fighters would be awarded a fight of the night bonus, and the bout is still ranked inside the top 10 best heavyweight fights ever on Tapology.com
