Robert Whittaker recently revealed that the push to reschedule his previously canceled bout against Khamzat Chimaev for UFC 308 was entirely his initiative.
Both fighters were initially set to headline UFC Fight Night in Saudi Arabia on June 22. However, just weeks before the contest, “Borz” withdrew due to an unspecified illness. In a bid to salvage the main event, Ikram Aliskerov stepped in on short notice. Unfortunately for Aliskerov, his night was cut short as Whittaker dispatched him with a knockout in under two minutes.
Now, the UFC has rebooked Whittaker and Chimaev for a five-round middleweight bout as the co-main event of UFC 308, set to take place on October 26 at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
“The Reaper” asserts that it was his idea to challenge Chimaev once again, driven by a desire to test his skills against the formidable opponent…
Whittaker Believes Victory Over Chimaev Could Secure Title Shot
During a recent appearance on the MMArcade Podcast, Whittaker discussed his rationale for rescheduling his fight against Chimaev. The former UFC middleweight champion expressed that he couldn’t pass up the chance to fight on enemy turf and prove his mettle.
“Unfortunately, the business isn’t completely run on merit, and a lot of it is, but there are a lot of times and moments when it just is not,” Whittaker said. “Chimaev is a hard fight; he’s obviously a big draw, especially over there in Abu Dhabi… I think the UFC, story-wise, wants to see Chimaev get a shot at the champion or whatever. They want to see Chimaev at the top of the ladder; they want to see him in that picture. But I love disrupting their plans; I love derailing their stories, and that’s why I took the fight.
You know, I asked for the fight straight after my last fight. I saw there was an Abu Dhabi card in October, the timeline fits perfectly, and I was like, I’ll fight Chimaev again. Let’s do it again, just make sure he turns up.”
“The Reaper” further emphasized that he knows Chimaev is a tough opponent, but believes that defeating him would pave the way for a title shot.
“I look forward to hard fights, and I know that if I beat Chimaev, there is nothing in my way to getting my belt back. Chimaev, as dangerous as he is, I don’t go into these fights thinking about what I have to lose. Much like how I took the fight with Ikram, I don’t look at the fights and think, ‘Oh man, it’s too big of a risk.’ Every fight’s a risk, you know, and I only go into fights because I have the confidence I’m going to beat and smash whoever is in front of me, and that doesn’t change with Chimaev.”
“Borz” has been out of action since his majority decision victory over Kamaru Usman at UFC 294 last October. During that bout, he suffered a torn ligament in his hand, which was followed by a severe infection that spread across his upper body, forcing him to take an extended break from active competition.
Meanwhile, Whittaker is gearing up for his third Octagon appearance of 2024. Earlier this year, he secured a decisive victory over Paulo Costa at UFC 298 in February and followed it up with a win against Aliskerov.
