Robert Whittaker News

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Robert Whittaker

Robert Whittaker to defend title vs Kelvin Gastelum at UFC 234 in Australia

Drake Riggs - November 2, 2018

We knew that the next middleweight title fight would see the champion Robert Whittaker defending against Kelvin Gastelum, we just didn’t know when. That is no longer the case as ESPN has confirmed with UFC president Dana White that the middleweight title will be on the line at UFC 234 on Whittaker’s home turf in Melbourne, Australia. The event is expected to take place on February 9.

Robert Whittaker
Robert Whittaker

Robert Whittaker responds to Kelvin Gastelum's claim that he won't be the same after Romero wars

Tom Taylor - September 4, 2018

UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker’s last two fights — both of which pitted him against Yoel Romero — have been absolute wars. In these fights, both he and Romero sustained incredible amounts of punishment, yet they both somehow managed to survive to the final bell each time. In the opinion of Kelvin Gastelum, who served as a coach opposite Robert Whittaker on the latest episode of The Ultimate Fighter, and will battle the champion sometime in the new year, Whittaker might not be the same after these wars with Romero. Gastelum opined on this topic at a July media scrum.

Robert Whittaker, Joe Rogan
Robert Whittaker

Robert Whittaker shares timeframe for Kelvin Gastelum fight

Tom Taylor - August 29, 2018

The newest season of The Ultimate Fighter, which will be coached by UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker and top contender Kelvin Gastelum will debut tonight. Once the show has been wrapped up, Whittaker is expected to defend his title against Gastelum — though the setting of this fight has not yet been determined. Speaking to reporters in LA this week, Whittaker updated on the hand injuries that he’s been dealing with, and gave a rough timetable for his anticipated return to action.

Robert Whittaker
Robert Whittaker

Robert Whittaker on getting title shots after missing weight, 'It's not fair'

Drake Riggs - August 27, 2018

Missing weight is never a good thing in the combat sports world. Which makes missing weight and then earning a title shot afterward a bit questionable. UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker happens to agree.

Robert-Whittaker-Kelvin-Gastelum
Robert Whittaker

Report | UFC working to put together Robert Whittaker vs Kelvin Gastelum

Drake Riggs - July 6, 2018

The question for Australia’s first UFC champion, the middleweight king, Robert Whittaker is “who’s next”? Well, we’re close to getting the answer. After an incredible fight of the year candidate with Yoel Romero in their title rematch at UFC 225, Whittaker came out on top with a split decision nod.

Robert Whittaker, Yoel Romero
Scraps of the Month

BJPENN.COM's Scraps of the Month for June 2018

Tom Taylor - July 3, 2018

There is a special place in the heart of every MMA fan for a good, old-fashioned scrap… Those frenetic fights like Dan Henderson vs. Mauricio “Shogun” Rua I, Robbie Lawler vs. Rory MacDonald II, and Cub Swanson vs. Doo Ho Choi, that hammer their way into our memories and never leave. At the end of each month, BJPENN.COM honors the best scraps of the month, from the UFC’s Octagon, to the Rizin ring, to the cages of regional promotions all over the world.

Robert Whittaker, Chris Weidman
Robert Whittaker

Robert Whittaker eyeing title defense against Chris Weidman

Tom Taylor - July 2, 2018

Over the last few weeks, middleweight contenders Kelvin Gastelum and Chris Weidman have been verbally sparring over who deserves the next middleweight title shot. Now, UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker’s team seems to have decided for them. According to Whittaker’s manager Titus Day, Whittaker is hoping to defend his title against the former champion Weidman at UFC 231 in November, which is expected to occur inside Madison Square Garden in Weidman’s native New York.

Robert Whittaker, Yoel Romero
USADA

Yoel Romero responds to Robert Whittaker's comments about his "magic" transformation

Tom Taylor - June 28, 2018

UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker felt that Yoel Romero changed quite significantly between their first and second fights. According to Whittaker, Romero felt more or less normal when they first fought, and more like “metal” or “concrete” when they met for a second time at UFC 225 earlier this month. “When I was punching and kicking him [at UFC 225] he felt like metal — like a dude made out of concrete, it was a ridiculous,” Whittaker said on Grange TV.  “I fought him a year ago, and he didn’t feel like concrete. Not like that.”

Robert Whittaker, Dana White, Matt Damon
Robert Whittaker

Robert Whittaker looking at three options for his next fight and none are Yoel Romero

Drake Riggs - June 14, 2018

UFC 225’s main event was an instant classic. It featured a rematch between two of the greatest middleweight fighters MMA has ever seen. The fighters competing in said main event were Yoel Romero and the UFC champion, Robert Whittaker. Unfortunately, after Romero missed the championship weight the day before by .02 pounds, the fight was changed to a non-title bout. But it didn’t stop the two from beating the hell out of one another.

Yoel Romero, Robert Whittaker
Yoel Romero

Robert Whittaker explains what it's like to fight Yoel Romero: "he felt like steel"

Tom Taylor - June 12, 2018

Yoel Romero has now been compared to steel by two former opponents. The first man to compare Romero to steel was former UFC middleweight champion Luke Rockhold. Now, reigning UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker has borrowed this metaphor, using it to describe the incredibly uncomfortable experience of fighting the Cuban behemoth. “This time, he felt like steel,” Whittaker told The Daily Telegraph of his second and most recent fight with Romero, which headlined the stacked UFC 225 last Saturday night. “I was punching and kicking him but it wasn’t doing any damage. He was walking forward through everything. It was weird.”

Robert Whittaker, Yoel Romero, Colby Covington
Yoel Romero

Robert Whittaker addresses possible trilogy fight with Yoel Romero

Tom Taylor - June 12, 2018

UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker now holds two wins over fearsome middleweight contender Yoel Romero. Both, however, were competitive and truly thrilling fights. Given the close nature of the pair’s two fights — particularly the latter, which headlined UFC 225 last weekend — there’s been widespread chatter about a potential third fight between the two. Whittaker, however, isn’t so sure a third fight is necessary. The Australian champion addressed a potential trilogy fight with Romero on Monday’s edition of The MMA Hour.

Robert Whittaker, Yoel Romero
Yoel Romero

Robert Whittaker and Yoel Romero issues statements on unforgettable UFC 225 war

Tom Taylor - June 11, 2018

On Saturday night, in the main event of the stacked UFC 225, UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker and fearsome middleweight contender Yoel Romero engaged in a truly incredible five-round fight. Though the title was not actually on the line, as Romero missed weight for the bout, the two middleweight talents fought with the kind of verve and intensity that ensured their battle will never be forgotten. In the end, Whittaker won this jaw-dropping fight via split decision. While not everybody agreed with the judges’ scoring of the fight, Whittaker is confident he deserved the W. The champ commented on the fight in a classy, post-fight statement on Instagram.

Dana White, Robert Whittaker
UFC 225

UFC 225 Results: Robert Whittaker defeats Yoel Romero via split-decision (Highlights)

Chris Taylor - June 9, 2018

A middleweight rematch between current division champion Robert Whittaker and top contender Yoel Romero served as the headliner of tonight’s UFC 225 pay-per-view event in Chicago. Unfortunately for fight fans, Yoel Romero missed weight by a mere .2 lbs on Friday and thus tonight’s UFC 225 main event was no longer for Robert Whittaker’s coveted middleweight championship.

Yoel Romero, Robert Whittaker
UFC 225

Robert Whittaker vs Yoel Romero remains UFC 225 main event after weigh-in controversy

Drake Riggs - June 8, 2018

In today’s MMA world, the excitement or…disappointment often starts with the weigh-ins. And today was no different. Initially, one half of the main event’s title fight rematch, Yoel Romero weighed in at 186 pounds which is one pound over the 185 pound middleweight limit for championship fights.

Georges St-Pierre, Robert Whittaker
Robert Whittaker

Former champ Georges St-Pierre heaps praise on current champ Robert Whittaker

Tom Taylor - June 8, 2018

In the opinion of former UFC welterweight and middleweight champion Georges St-Pierre, current UFC middleweight Robert Whittaker is the perfect ambassador for the sport of MMA. The Canadian MMA legend gave his take on the Australian champion in an interview with the Sydney Morning Herald. “He’s a great example and a perfect role model for the sport of mixed martial arts – and you cannot have a better ambassador for the sport,” St-Pierre said. “You guys have the dream guy coming from Australia to represent you.”

Yoel Romero, Robert Whittaker
Robert Whittaker

Robert Whittaker gives himself "50/50" chance in rematch with Yoel Romero

Tom Taylor - June 6, 2018

This weekend, in the main event of the absurdly stacked UFC 225 card, UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker will attempt to defend his title against the fearsome Yoel Romero. This bout will mark the pair’s second meeting, as Whittaker defeated Romero with a competitive, unanimous decision win a little less than a year ago. Despite the fact that Whittaker already holds a win over Romero, he is not guaranteeing himself a win this second time around. Instead, he feels the rematch is a veritable coin-flip.

Dana White, Robert Whittaker
Yoel Romero

Robert Whittaker Doesn't Understand Why Luke Rockhold Still Fought Yoel Romero

Justin Golightly - March 22, 2018

Flashback to UFC 221 and it’s hard to forget the weigh-in drama that kept most of us up late into the night trying to find out what was going to happen. Yoel Romero missed weight and Luke Rockhold entered into negotiations with the UFC, until finally deciding to move forward with the bout. Robert Whittaker, who was supposed to fight Rockhold that night, recently spoke up to say he wouldn’t have taken the fight with Romero that night. “Why would you [take that fight]? I don’t understand anyone who takes fights when their opponent doesn’t make weight. It’s like, if you rock up at 87 kilos, which is what [Yoel] Romero did – It was like 86 kilos or something like that – then why don’t I rock up at 95? What’s the difference? We’re both not making weight, we’re both not professional enough to do it, you know? And the weight cut is directly influential to the fight itself. I think not making weight is the most unprofessional thing you can do. It’s as bad as just not showing up for the fight itself. So, if you don’t make weight, I’m not fighting you. I’ll give the shot to someone else who can make the weight, who can do their freaking job.”

Yoel Romero, Robert Whittaker
Yoel Romero

Robert Whittaker Calls His Upcoming Fight with Yoel Romero an 'Absolute Nightmare'

Justin Golightly - March 19, 2018

While it hasn’t been long since Robert Whittaker first defeated Yoel Romero at UFC 213, it seems like forever ago. A lot has went down, but the more things change, the more they stay the same. Whittaker still holds the UFC middleweight title and has been waiting to see the rightful challenger rise to meet him after his injury. It just happens to be Romero, who is expected to be just as if not more dangerous at UFC 225 than their last encounter. “[Yoel] Romero is a hard fight. It was a war the first time. It’s definitely up there as one of my hardest fights to date, one of the hardest fights mentally due to getting injured in the first round and having to get through it all. He’s such a tough competitor, he’s such a good athlete and such a good fighter.”