Robert Whittaker Admits Winning Back UFC Championship is ‘Pipe Dream’: 'I’ve Got Few Fights Left'

Whittaker believes that pursuing a championship at this point in his career makes no sense. Moreover, the 34-year-old just wants to enjoy the last stretch of his career. He fought for the title again three years after his first attempt but was edged out in a unanimous decision win in favour of the ‘Stylebender’ at UFC 271.

Ever since the second loss to Adesanya, Whittaker’s career trajectory had become unstable. The Kiwi was able to edge out Marvin Vettori in his next outing. However, the momentum was broken again after a loss to the former middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 290. The 34-year-old pushed himself back into the win column in his next two fights with back-to-back victories over Paulo Costa and Ikram Aliskerov.

However, a deadly submission loss to Chechen phenom Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 308 and the most recent split-decision loss against De Ridder have led him to consider retirement and a potential move to 205lbs.

‘Bobby Knuckles’ has always been a fan favorite. He has built his reputation through hard work, respect for his opponents, and consistently delivering high-level performances and a down-to-earth attitude. However, it seems that his days on top are now over.

Robert Whittaker weighs in on Khamzat Chimaev’s performance at UFC 319

Robert Whittaker has once again shown why he is such a respected voice in the sport. Following the highly discussed clash between Dricus Du Plessis and Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 319, many fans online labeled the bout as “boring.” However, Whittaker quickly stepped in to push back on that narrative, offering a veteran’s perspective on what truly unfolded inside the Octagon.

The reaction followed the fight, which stirred debate across social media platforms, with casual and hardcore fans divided on its entertainment value. During an episode of the “MMArcade” Podcast, he dismissed the idea that the fight lacked action. He highlighted the dominance Chimaev displayed and suggested that only those unfamiliar with the technical aspects of MMA would fail to appreciate it.

Anyone that says it’s a boring fight is a casual. If you’re a fan of the sport and you’re not fascinated by Chimaev’s ability to control someone as dogged as Dricus, who’s gotten out of things time and time again, who physically never gasses, super strong, has cardio for days, if you’re not fascinated by such one-sided domination, then you have to be a casual.

Robert Whittaker via MMArcade podcast

Having shared the cage with both elite strikers and wrestlers, the former interim champion understands the tactical depth that fighters like Chimaev and Du Plessis showcase. Robert Whittaker’s defense of the fight spoke not only to the athletes’ skill levels but also to his role as an ambassador for the sport’s finer details. It remains to be seen what the future holds for the fan favorite ‘Bobby Knuckles’.