UFC Legacy Championship belt (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
Former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker says he is “playing around with the idea” of moving up to light heavyweight. He made the statement in a recent episode of his MMArcade Podcast.
Whittaker referenced how much weight he has to cut to make 185 pounds and mentioned that he’s a much bigger guy than most people think. He believes he could make 205 pounds easily, but the more obvious question is whether he can compete with the best fighters in the division.
RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA – JUNE 22: Robert Whittaker of New Zealand reacts after his victory against … [+]
The current light heavyweight champion is Alex Pereira, and that doesn’t seem like a great stylistic matchup for Whittaker. The No. 1 contender is Magomed Ankalaev, whose combination of striking and heavy-on-top wrestling could pose serious challenges.
The No. 2 contender is Jiri Prochazka, while No. 3 is Jamahal Hill.
From a stylistic standpoint, the fighters who might give Whittaker the toughest tests at light heavyweight are those who can impose their will in grappling sequences. That’s how Khamzat Chimaev scored an impressive first-round submission win over Whittaker in October.
Would the bigger light heavyweights, like Ankalaev and Jan Blachowicz, be too much for Whittaker because of their size and strength? It remains to be seen. Whittaker didn’t appear to have made up his mind when he mentioned it.
However, the move makes sense at this stage of his career. Whittaker just turned 34, and his path back to a title shot in the middleweight division isn’t clear.
He’s lost to current champion Dricus du Plessis, former champion Israel Adesanya, and No. 3-ranked Chimaev. The only fighter ranked above him that he hasn’t faced is No. 1 contender Sean Strickland.
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – SEPTEMBER 10: (L-R) Sean Strickland drops Israel Adesanya of Nigeria with a … [+]
Strickland is set to rematch Du Plessis in February for a chance to regain the title he lost to the South African in January. Even if Strickland wins, Whittaker’s losses to du Plessis and Adesanya would place him firmly behind other contenders.
Adesanya will fight No. 4-ranked Nassourdine Imavov on February 1 in Saudi Arabia. If Adesanya wins, Whittaker’s previous losses to him solidify his position further down the pecking order.
As Whittaker hits his mid-30s and after enduring several crushing losses, it may be time to assess whether light heavyweight offers a clearer path to a title. We’ll see what comes of Whittaker’s flirtations with moving up.
What’s Next for the UFC?
The No. 1 MMA promotion in the world is still on its end-of-year hiatus. The first event of 2025 takes place on January 11 at the UFC Apex, headlined by a rematch between Mackenzie Dern and Amanda Ribas. The two first fought in October 2019, with Ribas winning via unanimous decision.
Following that event, the first pay-per-view of the year, UFC 311, will take place at The Intuit Dome in Los Angeles. The card features two championship fights: Islam Makhachev defends his lightweight title against Arman Tsarukyan, and Merab Dvalishvili defends his bantamweight belt against Umar Nurmagomedov.
