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Robert Whittaker, the former UFC middleweight champion, has recently made headlines after he denied ever being offered a fight with rising star Khamzat Chimaev. The Australian fighter, who is currently ranked as the #2 contender in the division, has been the subject of much speculation about his next opponent. However, it seems that a potential bout with Chimaev is not on the cards, at least for the time being.
During a recent episode of The MMA Hour, Chimaev revealed to Ariel Helwani that the former middleweight champion was the opponent in a couple of matches he was recommended after winning at UFC 279 against Kevin Holland. Whittaker provided his perspective on the matter on his podcast MMArcade.
“Someone said that Chimaev said that they offered me a fight and that I turned it down,” Whittaker said. “I was never offered a fight with Chimaev, and that’s that.
“I haven’t been offered any fight. I’ve been just waiting.”
After his match against Marvin Vettori at UFC Paris in November of last year, "The Reaper" has not competed inside the octagon. The former champion completely controlled that match. That evening, Whittaker defeated "The Italian Dream" by unanimous decision in an overwhelming fashion.
After the victory, a matchup between the previous champion and Paulo Costa was mentioned. The Eraser was undergoing contract terms troubles with the UFC at the time, thus that bout never happened. Whittaker was called out by Khamzat Chimaev after his scheduled match with the Brazilian was scrapped.
He had been advised by the UFC to follow how it unfolded in the division afterward. The outcome of Saturday's middleweight title fight between Alex Pereira and Israel Adesanya, might very well influence what comes through for "The Reaper."
“I’ve been talking with the UFC, and the communication has been, ‘Let’s wait and see what happens with this title shot,’” Whittaker explained. “I have not received any sort of written contract that says, ‘Do you want to fight Chimaev in x, y, or z?’ That’s not something that has been presented to me. So just clarifying that.”
The potential matchup between Whittaker and the Adesanya-Pereira winner is an exciting prospect for fans of the sport. Whittaker and Adesanya have already fought twice before, with Adesanya coming out on top in a thrilling encounter both times.
A trilogy between the two would undoubtedly be a huge draw for the UFC if Adesanya manages to prevail against his bitter rival Alex Pereira this weekend. Either way, Whittaker seems to be next in line for another title shot.