Robert Whittaker says he may have as little as two fights left before ending what will almost certainly be a Hall of Fame career – and stresses that won’t include a Trans Tasman blockbuster against UFC light heavyweight champ Carlos Ulberg.
Long ranked among the greatest middleweights in UFC history, Whittaker is now readying to make his light heavyweight debut against Russia’s Nikita Krylov at UFC 329 – and on a card topped by Irish megastar Conor McGregor’s return.
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Despite having dropped fights to Khamzat Chimaev and Reinier de Ridder, there are plenty who believe given his profile, and history, Whittaker could use the change of divisions to make one final push for a second title.
Some commentary around Whittaker’s switch has even suggested the fighter dubbed Bobby Knuckles could be no more than two or three wins from the chance to make history as a two-weight world champion.
However speaking with Fox Sports Australia this week, the 35-year-old stressed he has no interest in ever fighting Ulberg – a longtime friend and training partner – and may only fight twice more before retiring.
As part of preparations for this camp, Whittaker has already trained at Auckland’s famed City Kick Boxing gym with the likes Ulberg, Dan Hooker and longtime world title rival, Israel Adesanya.
Asked if that relationship would impact on one last title push, Whittaker said: “I won’t fight Carlos Ulberg.
“I’d never fight anyone I train with, or break bread with.
“And right at the moment, it’s not even a discussion anyway.
“I’m only just getting into the light heavyweight division. Testing the water and seeing how I feel about everything.
“And then, I’ll take it from there.
“But regardless, and as I said, I don’t fight teammates.”
Currently, Ulberg is recovering from a busted ACL suffered in April when he claimed gold against Jiří Procházka at UFC 327.
With the injury set to sideline the New Zealander for a year, it would be easy to envision a world where Whittaker wins just twice more before lining up a huge Trans Tasman showdown – just like he enjoyed previously with Adesanya.
But the former world champ says that won’t ever happen.
“And I’m not fighting for too much longer, either,” he revealed. “This [move to light heavyweight] isn’t a refresh, or the start of a 10-fight contract.
“I’m just having fun now.
“And while nothing is set in stone, I want to get through this next fight and then maybe one more … we’ll see.”
Soon after, the Aussie favourite continued: “There are other things I want to do in life.
“And that’s where I’m at now.
“I’ve been blessed to fight as long as I have.
“I started out in this at 18, and I’m turning 36 this year. So that’s 18 years of combat, and all but four of them in the UFC … it’s crazy.
Whittaker’s International Fight Week card looms as one of the year’s biggest, with the Las Vegas event set to be topped by McGregor’s return against Hawaiian superstar Max Holloway.
Elsewhere, US heavyweight prospect Gable Steveson makes his own anticipated UFC debut on a card that also features a showdown between cult Englishman Paddy Pimblett and France’s Benoît Saint Denis.
Whittaker, meanwhile, said he was not yet sure if he would return to CKB again this camp.
First up, Queensland’s Junior Tafa is flying down to do some training with him.
“So we’ll wait and see,” he said of heading back across the ditch. “I definitely could go back over, because I’ve really enjoyed training there and have got real close with all the guys.”
In a separate interview with Australia’s Submission Radio on Thursday, Whittaker also spoke about Sean Strickland upsetting UFC middleweight champ Khamzat Chimaev earlier this month at UFC 328 – just as the American had previously done against Adesanya.
“Sean has now done the unthinkable twice,” Whittaker grinned. “And props to him for that. Because gun to my head, I had Chimaev winning and Sean proved me wrong.
“[Laughs] Like, I’m dead now. You know what I mean?
“So respect where it’s due. The guy has done it twice, pulled it out twice so good on him.”
Speaking on exactly how Strickland was capable of such a boilover, Whittaker continued: “Styles make fights. So I don’t know if being in there with Sean, Chimaev is seeing something vastly different than we are.
“Is there something Chimaev has seen in there with him that is different to what we are seeing from the outside?
“Because that is not the version of Chimaev that fought me. It’s not the version of Chimaev that fought Dricus [du Plessis] and it’s not the version of Chimaev that fought Gilbert Burns.
“[Or] maybe it was and Sean just has that secret something that makes these guys look like that. Because it’s not the first time we’ve seen it happen.”
Soon after he continued of Chimaev: “His take-downs just weren’t great, period. And they were scarce.
“I expected to see him like he against Dricus, take him down hold him down relentlessly like he did for five rounds. But he went for two and that was it, and they weren’t great looking take-downs either.
“But like I said maybe Sean has that something something that makes high level dudes look average. I don’t know. And now that I’ve moved up I’ll never know.”
Elsewhere, Whittaker also spoke with Fox Sports Australia about the challenge presented by Krylov, who has spent eight years inside the UFC continually fighting the division’s biggest names.
He has also earned scalps against the likes of Alexander Gustafsson, Volkan Oezdemir, Ovince St Preux and Johnny Walker.
And New! Strickland upsets Khamzat | 06:35
“He’s a wily veteran,” Whittaker conceded. “And the type of fighter who, if allowed do what he wants, will make it a really long night at the office for you.
“But I’m really focused on all the things I’ve been practising in my time off.
“I want to go in there as a refreshed Robert Whittaker. With different looks.
“I’ve been doing this so long, everyone knows what I’m going to do.
“So it’s time to change things up and execute all those things I’ve been working on.”
And as for how that looks?
“Hard to say,” Whittaker cackled. “But a lot of punches thrown, et cetera, et cetera.”