Former middleweight champion, Sean Strickland has been demanding a rematch against Dricus Du Plessis ever since he lost the title at UFC 297. After beating Paulo Costa, ‘Tarzan’ declared that he would not step into the octagon unless it was a title fight and it looks like he meant it. Allegedly Strickland turned down a showdown against Robert Whittaker. Here is what happened:
Former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker‘s manager, Titus Day, recently did an interview with Submission Radio. Day revealed that Sean Strickland had turned down a fight against Whittaker that was proposed for UFC 305.
Straight after the last fight in Riyadh, they said to us straight away ‘Does Rob want to fight’ like literally on the day. They said, ‘Does Rob want to fight Sean in Perth?’ and we said straight away, ‘Absolutely’…. Apparently, he said no so that was it.
Titus Day on Submission Radio
Whittaker’s victory in June was against Ikram Aliskerov who was a last-minute replacement for Khamzat Chimaev. That fight has been rescheduled for UFC 308. Although Strickland declined, opting to wait for a title shot instead, the decision appears to have worked in Tarzan’s favor.
👀Robert Whittaker’s manager reveals Sean Strickland turned down a fight against Whittaker in Perth:
“Straight after the last fight in Riyadh, they said to us …does Rob wanna fight Sean in Perth and we said ya sure absolutely, and apparently he said no”
🎥@SubmissionRadio… pic.twitter.com/60z1YZZHnr
— Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) September 6, 2024
He is now in line for a rematch with Dricus du Plessis for a potential title shot. Day suggested that Strickland’s strategy of waiting for a title shot is not a guaranteed path in the UFC. He emphasized that fighters like Whittaker, who are willing to fight anyone at any time, tend to get more opportunities, whereas waiting around could backfire.
However, Strickland’s fight against Dricus Du Plessis garnered a lot of controversy. Many including Dana White believed Strickland won that fight. Under normal circumstances, such a close match would warrant an immediate rematch. Unfortunately, anything involving Strickland cannot be deemed normal. Yet, his win against Costa Strickland proved his resilience again and solidified his status as a title contender.
Robert Whittaker almost fought boxing champion Jai Opetaia
Robert Whittaker had recently been sparring with Australian boxing champion Jai Opetaia. The UFC fighter has emphasized how it helped sharpen his striking skills. During his sitdown with Sporting News Australia, Whittaker mentioned that Opetaia’s boxing skills, particularly his speed and sharpness, are superior to anyone in Whittaker’s UFC division.
Robert Whittaker vs Jai Opetaia (Image via Imago)Interestingly, the two almost fought each other in the ring back in 2022. During his interview with Submission Radio, manager Titus Day reveals how the former UFC champion almost fought the world champion and why it did not happen.
Before Jai became world champion, they were trying to build their profile in Australia… there were some big talk and big offers being thrown around for them to fight each other. We couldn’t make it happen because UFC doesn’t like their champions in particular boxing outside the UFC.
Titus Day continued
The sparring session at the Doyle Boxing Club in South Sydney allowed Whittaker to expose and refine his weaknesses. Whittaker acknowledged that sparring with a world champion like Opetaia is not something he would experience in the UFC. Training with such high-level fighters is part of his ongoing strategy to perfect his stand-up game. Whittaker aims to take his striking to the next level as he prepares for his fight with Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 308.
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