Former UFC middleweight kingpin Robert Whittaker outlined his plans for 2026 and expressed his desire to do something different.
Whittaker has lost his previous two fights. In 2024, when he took on Khamzat Chimaev, the latter provided him with a rare rear-naked choke-cum-face crank. The choke left Whittaker with a dental injury.
After surgery and rehabilitation, he made his return earlier this year against the in-form Reinier de Ridder. After a hard-fought five-rounder, although the Australian landed the most damaging shots, ‘RDR’ stole the show with cling strikes and overall damage and cruised to a split-decision victory.
The middleweight division is currently stacked. The unstoppable Chimaev now reigns as champion and is rumored to fight Nassourdine Imavov next. Whittaker therefore has a different plan.
Robert Whittaker plans to return in mid-2026
Robert Whittaker plans to return to the octagon mid-2026 and move up to light heavyweight. Alex Pereira currently rules the 205-pound division. However, there have been talks of ‘Poatan’ moving up to heavyweight and taking on Ciryl Gane next, as champion Tom Aspinall is currently recovering from a serious eye injury.
If Whittaker steps up and picks up a win against former champion Magomed Ankalaev or a top contender like Carlos Ulberg or Khalil Rountree Jr., and ‘Poatan’ leaves, Whittaker’s route to a title shot will be easier than fighting at middleweight and hoping to dethrone Khamzat Chimaev.
On the MMArcade Podcast, ‘The Reaper’ said:
“I want to get back into that next year. I don’t know how I want to do it, but I’m working on some new skills… I probably want to start working there in the middle of next year. I don’t know if it’ll be at middleweight. I actually plan to [on potentially moving up to light heavyweight.] I’m a bigger man now… Everyone will say, ‘Oh, he’s too small, they’re bigger than him.’ But what’s the difference? Everyone will contact me no matter what.”
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