Robert Whittaker on why Charles Oliveira is a complete fighter
Robert Whittaker recently paid tribute to the progression of Charles Oliveira's ground game throughout the course of his career.
In the build-up to one of the most anticipated lightweight title fights in recent memory, 'The Reaper' appeared on Main Event to preview Charles Oliveira vs. Islam Makhachev. Whittaker mentioned that the evolution of the Brazilian's grappling altered his perception of how well 'do Bronx' would do against a strong wrestler like Makhachev:
"He has been held down before, but he hasn't let it get there since he got the title. Since his rise through the ranks, once again, and his dominance at the top, he hasn't let it get there. If he goes to his back he gets back up and then take you down. He's very offensive with his wrestling but he doesn't accept positions anymore. He really is a well-rounded fighter."
Watch the video below from 2:20:
The main focus of this fight is based around the jiu-jitsu of Oliveira and the sambo wrestling of Makhachev.
'Do Bronx' is a submission specialist, holding the UFC record for most submission victories of all time. Meanwhile, his Dagestani opponent has been touted as the second coming of Khabib Nurmagomedov, with a supreme grappling background.
Robert Whittaker steered clear of giving a prediction for the fight, which is a difficult one to call.
Robert Whittaker on what makes Aljamain Sterling so dangerous as a champion
Robert Whittaker recently sat down to preview the upcoming bantamweight title bout between Aljamain Sterling and TJ Dillashaw.
'Funk Master' will be making his second title defense at UFC 280, after defeating Petr Yan to retain the belt in April 2022. According to Whittaker, Sterling's victory over 'No Mercy' showed exactly why he deserves to be the current champion and why he is a tough fight for Dillashaw.
While on the Main Event show on Fox Sports Australia, 'The Reaper' said this:
"The biggest variable in this fight is Aljamain. The way he fought Petr the fight previously showed a level of intellect that I didn't think he had... Yeah he can change game plans like that. He'll fully execute unknown game plans if he thinks that's the road to success. Which I think a champion needs and he has. So very curious."
Watch the video below:
Robert Whittaker is a former UFC champion himself and knows exactly what it takes to be recognized as the best in the world. Will Sterling's adaptability be enough to retain his belt? According to 'The Reaper', it might just be.