Following his victory over Darren Till, Robert Whittaker feels prepared to be on standby in case Israel Adesanya or Paulo Costa can’t compete at UFC 253.
On July 25, Whittaker shared the Octagon with Till. This was Whittaker’s first bout since Oct. 2019 when he was stopped by Adesanya, losing the UFC middleweight title in the process. Whittaker ended up nabbing the unanimous decision victory over Till in the UFC on ESPN 14 main event.
Robert Whittaker Feels Prepared To Be On Standby For UFC 253
Whittaker spoke to reporters during the UFC on ESPN 14 post-fight press conference and he said the reported Sept. 12 date for UFC 253 is perfect for him (via MMAFighting).
“That’s a great time,” Whittaker said about potentially competing again in September. “I’ll be preparing around that time. If we can all get on the same card, that would be great. We would be ready. We’re always ready.”
Whittaker went on to say that he’s got his groove back after not feeling like himself in his Oct. 2019 outing with Adesanya.
“I’m ready for a championship fight right now,” Whittaker said. “Whenever. Tomorrow. Last night. It doesn’t matter. I’m championship level. I displayed that tonight.
“That’s just the level I’m at. I’m already ready for a championship title shot. That’s just me.”
“The Reaper’s” win over Darren Till is his first since June 2018. Whittaker was the number one-ranked UFC middleweight going into his bout with Till. With the win, he’s likely to maintain that spot unless the UFC wants to spruce up Costa’s ranking in anticipation of his reported matchup with Adesanya.
Some still believe Adesanya vs. Whittaker 2 would be a tough sell for now. When looking back at the fashion in which Adesanya stopped Whittaker, it’s hard to blame the naysayers. Still, Whittaker is looking to prove that he can become a two-time UFC middleweight champion.
