Former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker has his eyes on a mid-2025 return after repairing the damage he sustained at the hands of Khamzat Chimaev last month.
Following two strong appearances in 2024 that saw him outpoint Paulo Costa and knock out the highly touted Ikram Aliskerov, Whittaker hoped to make it three on the bounce at UFC 308 in Abu Dhabi.
But his pursuit of a rematch with current titleholder Dricus Du Plessis came to an emphatic halt at the hands of Chimaev, who added “The Reaper” to the list of victims on his undefeated record.
And the result was up there with the Chechen star’s most vicious in the UFC to date, as he dragged Whittaker down before displacing his front teeth with a brutal face crank in the very first round.
During a recent episode of his MMArcade Podcast, Whittaker provided an update on his status, revealing he underwent a procedure to remove and replace the damaged teeth — dental surgery that also uncovered a sizable cyst in the Australian’s jaw.
But the former champ is now on the mend, and he’s even eyeing a return to action as soon as May 2025.
“I’m going to give a bit of time. I’m not going to rush into the next fight, because there are some things I want to address,” Whittaker said. “I’m probably looking to return in June. June-ish? End of May? I don’t know. We’ll play with the dates next year.”
And when he does make the walk again, “The Reaper” is promising to adapt and show new wrinkles to his game.
“I’m 34 in December,” Whittaker noted. “I still have, I feel like some tricks up my sleeve. I still have some goals that I want to hit. Like I said, I am building some new skills. But that’s just how I look at things. Every obstacle and setback just makes me stronger, it makes the comeback better. I’m looking forward to getting back in there. I’m enjoying training. I’m excited for the next, what I could be.”
While Whittaker focuses on his recovery and plan to display a new and improved “Bobby Knuckles” next year, Chimaev has his sights set on the middleweight gold.
Although he’s yet to be confirmed as next in line over Sean Strickland, “Borz” appears to have plenty of support from his peers and the MMA masses when it comes to Du Plessis’ second defense of the 185-pound title.
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