“That’s where I’m fighting 100%”: Robert Whittaker reveals preferred date and location for UFC return
Robert Whittaker has revealed when he wants to make his UFC return and has ruled out a comeback for the remainder of this year.
After Robert Whittaker’s dominant victory in his UFC light heavyweight debut against Nikita Krylov in July. Fans were expecting to see him one more time inside the octagon this year.
However, the former UFC middleweight champion has ruled out fighting this year and said he wants to fight early next year on his home soil.
Robert Whittaker reveals plans for UFC return and targets long-awaited homecoming
Speaking on the MMArcade Podcast, Whittaker revealed that he expects the UFC to return to Sydney in February and is patiently waiting for the event to be confirmed before deciding on his next move.
“I think it’s coming to Sydney in February. So that’s what I’m waiting for right now,” Whittaker said.
When asked if he wanted to fight on his home soil, ‘The Reaper' confidently expressed he would surely accept a fight in Sydney if UFC hosts the event.
“Yeah, that’s more or less the assumption I’m making. If it comes to Sydney, that’s where I’m fighting 100%. That’s what I’m waiting for, and it’s been a long time. I don't think I fought in Sydney since my middleweight debut.”
Check out Robert Whittaker's comments below:
Whittaker moved up to light heavyweight after suffering losses to Khamzat Chimaev and Reinier De Ridder. In his debut at 205 pounds, he secured a third-round TKO victory against Krylov. This earned him a spot in the top 15 in the division.
However, the Australian suffered some injuries that he revealed after the fight and has opened up about the injuries that ruled him out of fighting again this year.
Robert Whittaker gives an injury update
In the above-mentioned interview, Whittaker shared that he suffered a fractured rib and a torn tendon in his knee. However, he expressed skepticism; he sustained the injuries during his fight against Krylov or in the lead-up to the event, when he pushed his body to the limit.
“After the last fight, I just kept having some weird pains in my knees and my ribs,” Whittaker said. “So eventually, before I commit to it, I found out that I had a fractured rib. I had a tear in one of the tendons in my knee. And I don't know how. I think this might have been from the fight, but I think just the amount of training and stuff that led into it pushed my body a bit too much.”
Whittaker is now ranked in the 205-pound division. He wants to get his title run started quickly and has expressed a desire to fight someone from the top 5, and, if not, the top 10.
