UFC veteran Robert Whittaker has given an insight into his mentality as he approaches the tail-end of his career, revealing the stress of fighting never changes and that he still considers himself a realistic middleweight title shot.
Whittaker’s bout with Dutchman Reinier de Ridder headlines UFC Fight Night Abu Dhabi, the Australian returning to the Octagon for the first time since his equally painful and devastating loss to Khamzat Chimaev late last year.
Chimaev submitted Whittaker midway through the first round, effectively grabbing the title shot that the former champion was after while smashing up the Australian’s teeth in the process.
“Every loss is character building,” Whittaker reflected to ESPN a couple of weeks out from his fight with de Ridder. “It’s the teeth. I would never have gotten them fixed if they weren’t broken sort of thing.
“I wouldn’t have had that time with my family. I wouldn’t have had the time to work on other projects. Yeah, it’s just I’m happy with my past. And I get back in there in two weeks to do it all over again.”
Saturday night’s bout [Sunday morning AEST] with de Ridder represents Whittaker’s 24th foray into the Octagon.
The Australian became middleweight champion back in 2017, defeating Yoel Romero via unanimous decision, and then beat the Cuban once again, before he then lost his title to Israel Adesanya in front of the biggest crowd in UFC history at UFC 243.
Whittaker worked his way back for another title shot in 2022, only to be denied once more by Adesanya, and has since gone on to record another three middleweight victories from five fights, his two losses coming to current champion Dricus Du Plessis and then Chimaev, who will be the South African’s challenger next month.
You might think then that Whittaker can relax and navigate the pressure and nerves that swell with a fighter’s walk to the Octagon, those final few moments before the opening bell rings — but it is not the case.
“It’s the same as always, there’s so much nerves and pressure that you hate what you’ve done, what you’re doing,” Whittaker said. “But there [are] also moments in a fight that you really feel alive.
“I guess the very special moment is after the fight, after you’ve put in that work, you’ve had a good showing, and I get that feeling of satisfaction that everything is right in the world. Everything has been done the way it should be and I get a few weeks off, I can go crazy. it’s just fun.”
While he insists the drive to keep grinding away every day in the gym remains as strong as ever, Whittaker knows too that the end is coming. But he is already content with his legacy in the sport — no matter how the closing days of his UFC career play out.
“I’ve been in this game for a very, very long time and I’ve been fortunate and blessed enough to be able to do so. I know the curtain is, we’re at the tail-end of my career.
“I don’t want to be doing this forever. There’s a lot of things that I’ve sacrificed to get to where I am. I don’t want to be making those sacrifices forever. I look forward to just really ripping in the next couple of years and then sailing off into the sunset.”
Whittaker believes the next couple of years can deliver yet another title shot, too.
“Definitely. I have a good showing against this guy [de Ridder], maybe fight another contender above me for a title shot and then I’m fighting for the title,” Whittaker said.
“The division is just so fluid and full of opportunities. Where I’m at, where I’m placed, you’re always one good showing away from that conversation.”
But he’ll need to get through de Ridder first, unbeaten through three UFC fights so far, his most recent win over Bo Nickal putting the rest of the division on notice.
“I think he’s a good fighter and he’s the type of fighter that if you let him do what he wants, he’s just going to walk you down and beat you up,” Whittaker said. “Yeah, he showed a lot of fight in that particular match. I think he outfought Bo.
“I think Bo wasn’t ready for that style of fight, for that type of fight, for that level of fighter. And yeah, I’m looking forward to it.”
WATCH UFC FIGHT NIGHT ABU DHABI LIVE ON ESPN ON DISNEY+ IN AUSTRALIA/NZ
Once again, it feels like Whittaker’s career is at a crossroads. A win this weekend and he could be back in the title picture as early as next year. A loss, however, and the curtain will drop a little further on his career, likely raising questions as to why the Australian would fight on.
No matter which way his fight with de Ridder goes, it’s clear Whittaker won’t be losing any sleep over the result, nor a career that will forever hold him as Australia’s first UFC champion.
“One hundred percent, mate. I’ve made a lot of history,” Whittaker responded when asked if he was satisfied with his UFC career.
“I’ve done a lot of good things, I’ve inspired a lot of young fellas and I’ve stayed true to myself. My kids are proud of me and I’m proud to be a role model for them.
“What more could I want?”
