Robert Whittaker names the hardest hitter he has faced in UFC
Robert Whittaker recently claimed that fellow middleweight Kelvin Gastelum is the hardest hitter he has ever faced in the UFC.
During the recent Q&A ahead of UFC 284 in Perth, Australia, 'The Reaper' claimed that the amount of power Gastelum can generate from a short range is impressive. When the duo locked horns at UFC on ESPN 22 back in 2021, it was Whittaker who came away with a unanimous decision win.
When asked about the hardest hitter he has ever faced inside the octagon, the Australian said:
"[Other than the guys] that finished me, probably [Kelvin] Gastelum. He just had some heavy hands from like no range."
Catch Robert Whittaker's comments below:
Robert Whittaker currently holds a pro-MMA record of 24-6. In his most recent fight at UFC Paris last year, the 32-year-old clinched a unanimous decision win over Italian fighter Marvin Vettori.
A matchup between Whittaker and former middleweight title challenger Paulo Costa was originally targeted for this weekend's UFC 284 pay-per-view, but the bout was scrapped after failed contract negotiations on the Brazilian's side.
Kelvin Gastelum, on the other hand, is amid a bit of a rough patch in his career. He is currently on a two-fight skid and hasn't registered a win in almost two years.
Gastelum's last win came against Ian Heinisch at UFC 258 in February 2021. His next fight will be against No.14-ranked middleweight contender Chris Curtis at UFC 287, on April 8.
Khamzat Chimaev calls out Robert Whittaker
With his meteoric rise in the UFC, Khamzat Chimaev has proved that he can comfortably handle himself at both welterweight and middleweight. Now, 'Borz' believes that it's time for him to take on the top tier of the 185-pound weight class.
Speaking to Red Corner MMA, the Russian-born Swede laid out why a fight against former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker makes sense:
"I think I will fight Robert Whittaker. He’s got no opponent. Paulo Costa ran away after talking that much about me and Robert. So, I will fight Whittaker. I want this fight although I like him as a human being. He's a solid guy, doesn’t talk trash, doesn’t cross any lines. We are going to have fun at the press conference and fight each other."
Catch Khamzat Chimaev's comments below:
Khamzat Chimaev is currently the No.3-ranked welterweight contender in the promotion. However, since his weight debacle at UFC 279, where he came in 7.5 pounds overweight for his scheduled bout against Nate Diaz, many believe that the Chechen will compete at middleweight in future UFC appearances.