Whittaker’s wake-up call
Ex-middleweight champ confident he can reclaim UFC’s top prize
Robert Whittaker says his stunning second-round loss to Dricus du Plessis was the “kick up the arse” he needed but denies he has a point to prove against Paulo Costa at UFC 298 this weekend.
Make no mistake, du Plessis, who is now the middleweight world champion, is still on Whittaker’s hit list.
“I want to get back in there with him, as well (as Israel Adesanya),” Whittaker said. “He’s now joined that list. It’s a two-man list.”
A big favourite going into their UFC 290 fight last July,
Whittaker was outgunned by a supremely well-prepared du Plessis.
Seven months on, “The Reaper” is philosophical about the result.
“It was a kick up the arse, a wake-up call,” Whittaker. “I loosened the grip on the reins with a few things in the game and it kind have woke me up.
“It made me reassess things, look at a few things and tighten them back up.
“You can imagine after a shocking loss like that, we came back to Sydney, sat down and worked on a lot of things, changed things up and just got my mental and physical health all together so I can bring the animal back to camp.”
With 12 years and 20 UFC fights on his record, the former middleweight champ is one of the longest tenured fighters in the business but he brushed off any talk of retirement following the du Plessis loss. “Nah, minor setback, that’s all,” Whittaker said. “I know I’m the best middleweight in the world, I just need to get in there and show it.
“This is what I love doing, this is how I provide for my family, and that’s a pretty big motivator.
“My family needs me to do this because this is how I put food on the table.”
After beating Whittaker, du Plessis had a split-decision win for the middleweight title against Sean Strickland last month.
The result was shrouded in controversy after Strickland claimed his vision was due to a headbutt.
Whittaker, 33, doesn’t understand what all the drama is about. “I had Dricus winning,” he said. “It was surprising to me to see so many people arguing the fact.
“I thought Dricus won the fight. I gave him four rounds. I thought he won the last round as well.”
Du Plessis has been linked to a grudge match with Adesanya but a title fight rematch against Whittaker isn’t so farfetched.
The South African is a longtime fan of Whittaker’s and relishing another fight against his one-time idol. “I think Rob has impaired what it takes,” du Plessis said last month. “He’s an incredible fighter and he has another run in him.
“If he beats Costa, he needs to work his way back up.
“If he gets two more wins, two big-profile wins, he’s right back in there and part of the discussion.
“It would be an honour to share the cage with him again.”
For Whittaker, it’s all about Costa at UFC 298 in Anaheim this weekend.
They have been scheduled to fight twice in the past but the Brazilian has pulled out due to a variety of injuries, illnesses and contractual disputes.