Robert Whittaker explains “problem” with Khabib vs. GSP fight

Former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker sees a “problem” with a potential superfight between Georges St-Pierre and Khabib Nurmagomedov.

Nurmagomedov, the reigning UFC lightweight champ, and St-Pierre, the former welterweight and middleweight champ, are universally regarded as two of the best fighters of all time, and have been linked to a fight for many years. Even with both men retired, there’s still widespread interest in their potential pairing.

Whittaker, however, sees an issue with this superfight: one man would lose, and end up with a tarnished legacy.

The former middleweight champ shared his thoughts on this matchup on a recent episode of Submission Radio.

“The problem with that, one of the two greatest, I think, most iconic role models of the sport are gonna get their legacy tarnished a little bit, and I don’t think it’s needed,” Whittaker said. “Neither guy needs the money. Maybe they can fight quietly behind closed doors”

Whittaker last fought at UFC 254—which was headlined by Nurmagomedov’s victory over Justin Gaethje—when he defeated Jared Cannonier by decision. With that victory, he feels he earned a rematch at reigning UFC middleweight champ Israel Adesanya, who he lost the title to in 2019.

“Well, I’ve already earned the right to it,” Whittaker said. “I’ve already earned that right to fight for a title. That’s what that fight with Jared was. That fight was number one contender.”

“What’s funny was, everyone was telling Jared, like, you win this fight, you get a shot at the title,” Whittaker added. “No one was saying that to me (laughs). That’s what this fight is, and that’s the right I earned. I earned a shot at a title. So, that’s where I’m at.”

“I’ll fight Izzy one way or another. Middleweight, light heavyweight, whatever.”

What do you think of these comments from Robert Whittaker?