"There's no other possibilities" - Robert Whittaker is confident a win over Khamzat Chimaev will earn him a title shot
Robert Whittaker is set to take on Khamzat Chimaev in the main event of UFC Saudi Arabia in June, in what has been labeled a title eliminator fight by the promotion's CEO, Dana White.
The unpredicatable nature of MMA means that a fighter usually cannot rely on the verbal commitments of a promoter. But 'The Reaper' appears confident that a victory over Chimaev leaves no options for him outside of a middleweight title shot.
While 'Borz' is an unranked fighter at 185 pounds, his talent is universally recognized, and a win over him would signal title contendership for any fighter.
Following the announcement of the UFC Saudi Arabia card, the Australian was interviewed by Submission Radio, where he shared his thoughts on what a win over Chimaev could mean. He said this:
"I think it's pretty clear cut for me the way things line up. Obviously you heard Dana speak about it online that this was the number one contender shot. But also, if I beat Khamzat, I get a title shot. There's no other possibilities. I don't think Sean [Strickland] will be rewarded for sitting on the sidelines, the UFC don't really like playing that. But at the end of the day they can do whatever they want."
Watch Robert Whittaker's interview below from 7:20:
Robert Whittaker previews his clash with Khamzat Chimaev
Robert Whittaker and Khamzat Chimaev are set to face off in a much anticipated clash on June 22, with the winner likely to challenge for middleweight gold.
'Borz' faced Kamaru Usman in his previous clash, with the former welterweight champion accepting the bout on short notice and moving up to 185 pounds. Chimaev secured a decision victory after a competitive three-round battle, but there was a feeling that the result may have been different if the fight was five rounds.
Meanwhile, Whittaker secured a unanimous decision victory against Paulo Costa last month.
Chimaev's clash with 'The Reaper' will be a significant step-up for him, and the former middleweight champion recently shared his thoughts on the bout during an episode of the MMArcade Podcast. He said this:
"After my last fight, I didn't have any injuries. The body is good. They offered me the fight, I fought four or five weeks ago at this point. Mate, I'm ready. Just give me another one. I'm in a great head space to take another hard fight."
Watch Robert Whittaker preview his clash with Chimaev below from 0:55: