Whittaker: Chimaev Fight ‘Came Out Of Nowhere’

Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images

Robert Whittaker didn’t expect his upcoming match up.

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) CEO, Dana White, announced UFC Saudi Arabia’s main card late last night (Weds., March 27, 2024). The Middleweights take center stage in the country’s debut event for the promotion, as the No. 3-ranked Whittaker battles the undefeated 13-0 superstar, No. 11-ranked Khamzat Chimaev, in the main event on June 22, 2024.

The former champion, Whittaker, thought he’d go in a different direction — as did Chimaev — after UFC recently announced it would return to Australia two months after UFC Saudi Arabia. Regardless, the opportunity is still a thrilling one for “The Reaper.”

“Obviously it’s a bit of a shock because it comes out of nowhere,” Whittaker said on his MMArcade podcast (h/t MMA Fighting). “I would have assumed UFC was going to hold me in the ranks for the Australia card in August, which is kind of what I was preparing for. But I’m happy UFC have given me this boon. This is my path to the title. This is the way I earn money for my kids. To be able to do that so close — like I’ve said in other episodes, I want to increase my activity. God willing and my body’s healthy, there’s no reason I shouldn’t take this fight. What else am I going to be doing?

“Also, the fact that the fight is in Saudi Arabia, that’s the first time the UFC has been there,” he continued. “So I am pumped to be part of that history. I’ve done that a few times now, and it all gets notched into my legacy. So I have direction now. I have energy, momentum.”

The stakes will be high for each fighter with title aspirations on the line. Whittaker, 33, rebounded with a unanimous decision victory over Paulo Costa at UFC 298 last month (Feb. 17, 2024). Meanwhile, Chimaev earned a hard-fought majority decision over the former Welterweight champion, Kamaru Usman, at UFC 294 in October 2024. Chimaev’s bout was billed as a No. 1 contender fight, but plans changed as Dricus Du Plessis ultimately fought the then-champion, Sean Strickland, at UFC 297 in January 2024.

“It’s going to be a contender fight, five-round main event,” Whittaker said. “I do understand the task at hand. It’s going to be hard. I’m going to be grinding my ass off this camp. I’m looking forward to it. It’s a good thing, after last fight, I didn’t have any injuries. The body is good. They offered me the fight. I fought four or five weeks ago at this point, I’m ready. Just give me another one.

“I’m in a great headspace to take another hard fight,” he concluded. “I’m looking forward to it. Every hard fight pushes my skills to the next level, and this gets me in line to get the belt back. That’s the goal, isn’t it?”