“Everyone Had Excuses”: Robert Whittaker Praises Bogdan Guskov for Accepting Sydney Fight
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Former middleweight title challenger Robert Whittaker will return to action next year and has praised his opponent for accepting the fight in Sydney.
Whittaker will face Bogdan Guskov in the co-main event of a UFC Fight Night headlined by a lightweight clash between Quillan Salkilld and Benoit Saint Denis in February 2027.
The former middleweight moved up to light heavyweight and defeated Nikita Krylov in his divisional debut in July. His next challenge is the No. 10-ranked contender, and Whittaker has thanked Guskov for accepting the fight.
Robert Whittaker Praises Bogdan Guskov
In a recent episode of the MMArcade Podcast, Robert Whittaker spoke at length about his Uzbekistani opponent’s physical prowess and revealed his simple “hit, don’t get hit” game plan for the fight. He also praised Bogdan Guskov for his willingness to accept the matchup and travel to Sydney.
“Props to Bogdan. There were other names thrown in the hat. Everyone was either tied up or had excuses why they couldn’t do it, yada yada. We got to where we are. Someone took the fight, flying all the way to Sydney to do it. It’s going to be great,” Whittaker said.
More on: Whittaker vs. Bogdan Guskov
Bogdan Guskov is coming off a defeat against former champion Magomed Ankalaev and a draw against another former champion, Jan Blachowicz.
It is important to note that both fights were against top contenders in the division. Moreover, all four of Guskov’s UFC wins have come via a finish within the first two rounds.
Considering his UFC run apart from his last two fights, Guskov is a set-up opponent for Whittaker, who has only one win in the light heavyweight division.
Whittaker’s light heavyweight debut showed that he can fare well against the division’s giants. However, Guskov could still pose a tough challenge.
With great risk comes great reward, and a win in this fight could further strengthen Whittaker’s position in the rankings.
