‘Reaper’ Retirement? Whittaker Shares Timetable On Career Conclusion

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Robert Whittaker is on the cusp of getting back to an Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Middleweight title shot.

Although his stretch as a UFC champion spanned over three years, Whittaker’s reign was short. “The Reaper” was promoted from interim status after his first unanimous decision win over Yoel Romero in July 2017. After that, he technically never defended his title when he rematched Romero one year later, winning a split decision after Romero missed weight.

Whittaker, 34, has left his mark on the sport for not only his country of New Zealand but the 185-pound division. As fight fans, we have to enjoy his time in action while he still competes because there might not be much time left.

“I’m thinking about wrapping it up around 36. That’s what? Two and a half years,” Whittaker told Demetrious Johnson. “I feel like 36 is a good age to like really have a solid crack at something else, whatever it is I want to do, you know?

“I do the normal things,” he continued. “I save more than I spend. I look to buy land and investment properties whenever I can afford it. I’m looking to push my dreams ahead. I’m not really moving into anything I need to dedicate too much focus towards because I do believe that everything you do that isn’t fighting takes away a little bit of that mental mind space you have, and you don’t have a lot of it.”

Whittaker admitted that he spread himself thinner than usual ahead of his Dricus du Plessis bout in July 2023. The fight was Whittaker’s last loss, as the now-champion defeated him via a second round technical knockout (watch highlights).

Next up will be the rebooked Khamzat Chimaev match up for Whittaker at UFC 308 on Oct. 26, 2024.

“I want to fight by the end of the year,” Whittaker said of why he accepted the rebooking. “If they give me a title fight next, I would be happy. If the fight with Dricus and [Israel] Adesanya were to happen then they say, ‘Hey, wait until next year and you can fight for the title.’ I’d wait. What’s an extra couple months, right? It’s a title fight. I’m gonna fight one way or another and winning pushes me towards my goals anyway.”