After his victory at UFC 298, Robert Whittaker is now targeting Sean Strickland as his next opponent in the middleweight division. Whittaker, a former champion, showcased his skills and solidified his position as one of the top middleweights in the UFC. Despite not winning the Fight of the Night honors, his performance impressed the UFC CEO. Whittaker is now eager to face Strickland, who is also a former champion in the division.
Strickland is known for his trash-talking nature towards his opponents. However, Whittaker believes that he won’t be subjected to such behavior. He addressed this during the post-fight press conference, expressing his confidence in avoiding any personal animosity with Strickland.
At UFC 298, Whittaker was looking to bounce back after a knockout loss in his previous fight at UFC 290. In an interview inside the octagon, he expressed his interest in a rematch with Du Plessis. However, during the post-fight press conference, he shifted his focus to Strickland, considering it a more realistic and intriguing matchup.
Interestingly, Strickland recently lost the middleweight title to Du Plessis at UFC 297, the previous pay-per-view event. Although the fight was closely contested, many believed that Strickland should have been declared the winner. The potential bout between Strickland and Whittaker will likely determine the next title contender in the division.
The featherweight division in the UFC has a rich history, with past champions including notable names like Aldo, Holloway, and Volkanovski. Whittaker, who has experienced losing a UFC title, empathized with Volkanovski during the post-fight press conference at UFC 298. Despite his knockout loss to Topuria, Whittaker acknowledged Volkanovski as the most dominant featherweight champion in the UFC. Volkanovski boasts an impressive record, with five successful title defenses against top contenders.
Volkanovski has expressed his desire for a rematch, specifically in Spain, during the post-fight press conference. The UFC CEO has already shown interest in hosting Topuria’s first title defense in Spain, with Real Madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu being considered as a potential venue for the fight.
According to the Source firstsportz.com