Robert Whittaker is supposedly set to take on Yoel Romero in a rematch for the middleweight championship at UFC 225.
After suffering a nasty staph infection – which took him out of his last fight against Luke Rockhold, ironically seeing Romero replace him – Whittaker will look to stamp his name among the great middleweights of all time with a win over the dangerous ‘Soldier of God’.
The 27 years old has taken down seasoned veterans like Ronaldo Souza, Derek Brunson and Uriah Hall. Most recently he defeated his next opponent, Romero, in a five-round slugfest that took place last July for the middleweight championship belt, which Whittaker currently holds.
Whittaker’s ability and skill is impossible to ignore. The Australian possesses an almost unparalleled striking game, proven by his eight-fight win streak (four by knockout, four by decision) and his unorthodox yet effective approach.
All-time great middleweight Anderson Silva and UFC president Dana White have both said they think Whittaker is the next big thing for years to come. But Whittaker’s respectful yet blazing confidence sets him apart from others – of course, so does his takedown defence, incomparable standup game, black belts in karate and Hapkido, and purple belt in BJJ.
AP Andy Brownbill
While his credentials are impressive, his fight with Romero will be a telltale sign of how elite he really is.
Romero absolutely obliterated an outstanding Luke Rockhold and could easily be chalked up as the most powerful man in the middleweight division – perhaps one of the most powerful fighters pound-for-pound in mixed martial arts.
While Romero is 40 years old, his body, jiu-jitsu and accuracy of punches have only improved. Whittaker, while less experienced in years, has totalled more MMA bouts than the Cuban. The match-up is an even one, but Whittaker appears to be the more skilful.
Given Romero’s accolades, this fight would have been difficult for Whittaker even without having to recover from a staph infection, but factoring in the health hinderance, it’s doubtful he will be his full, healthy self.
The thing is, Whittaker is good enough to take on anyone, even with an infection that White deemed “serious”.
It is way too early to discuss predictions between a recovering champ against a surging contender. But if Whittaker can beat Romero – like he has before – the conversation of where the Aussie stands, both pound-for-pound and among the best recent middleweight fighters, needs to be had.
Let’s get ready to rumble! Pick a fighter and place your bets with PlayUp for great odds. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.
A bloodied Tim Tszyu has been cruelly denied in his quest to emulate his legendary father Kostya and become a unified world boxing champion…
Liam Wilson has suffered further heartbreak in Arizona, the Australian boxer losing his super-featherweight world-title fight against Mexican Oscar Valdez. In front of a…
Tim Tszyu has the chance to emulate his legendary father as a unified world boxing champion after the stakes were dramatically raised for his…
Australia's Alexander Volkanovski has lost his UFC featherweight title to Ilia Topuria, with the Spaniard scoring a stunning second round knockout in the main…
Jason Moloney has survived an enthralling 12-round world title defence against Saul Sanchez in Canada, opening the door to a blockbuster unification fight in…
Conor McGregor says he's returning to the UFC for a fight against Michael Chandler on June 29 in Las Vegas, calling it the "greatest…
