Robert Whittaker offers to fight Kamaru Usman after UFC 294 loss: ‘Stick around, It’s fun up here, mate’
Remaining in contender limbo amid his title-eliminator knockout loss to Dricus du Plessis back in July, former middleweight champion, Robert Whittaker has urged former welterweight kingpin, Kamaru Usman to stay at the 185lbs limit after his short-notice UFC 294 loss to Khamzat Chimaev last weekend – eyeing a future fight with the Nigerian.
Whittaker, the current number three ranked middleweight contender, has been sidelined from the Octagon since he suffered a second round upset knockout loss to the above-mentioned, du Plessis in an officially billed title-eliminator at UFC 290 back in July during International Fight Week.
As for Usman, the former pound-for-pound number one made a middleweight limit bow over the course of last weekend against the undefeated, Khamzat Chimaev, dropping a close, majority decision (29-27, 29-27, 28-28) loss to the Chechen.
And with Whittaker sitting atop a list of other contenders he has already defeated, the former titleholder has urged Usman to consider a prolonged middleweight stay – eyeing a future fight with the Auchi native.
Robert Whittaker offers to fight Kamaru Usman after UFC 294 loss
“That fight interests me,” Robert Whittaker told MMArcade during a recent interview. “I like that fight. I’d fight a middleweight (Kamaru) Usman. I don’t think it’s a bad fight to have.”
“What’re you gonna do? Make Usman fight ranks 30 to 20 to get in the top tier?” Robert Whittaker asked. “Consecutive defending welterweight champion, he definitely deserves a dight at the top of the charts. How well he’ll do, we will see but seeing fresh blood at the top of the game, that’s interesting. I like it. Seeing (Khamzat) Chimaev and (Sean) Strickland fighting, that moves things around. I like it. Makes things interesting and exciting. I am here for it. I hope he [Kamaru Usman] stays. Stick around – it’s fun up here, mate.”
Who wins in a future fight: Robert Whittaker or Kamaru Usman?
