Robert Whittaker Wants Top-5 Opponent To Redeem Dricus Du Plessis Loss 

Robert Whittaker has seemingly taken the Dricus Du Plessis loss to heart and recently vowed to find his redemption. ‘The Reaper’ recently claimed that he isn’t over it even after two months removed from the loss. He stated that he wants a statement win against a top-5 ranked opponent to redeem himself. 

The former middleweight champion is undoubtedly among the best 185-pound contenders the UFC has ever seen. Before his loss against Du Plessis, Whittaker beat every other contender not named Israel Adesanya. Given his impressive record, he was also a massive betting favorite going into his ill-fated matchup at UFC 290. 

The South African fighter dismantled Robert Whittaker and knocked him out in the second round of the fight.. The fight was a pivotal title eliminator, which was meant to serve as Whittaker’s last step toward another title shot. 

During a recent conversation with Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour, Robert Whittaker discussed his fight against Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 290 and outlined his disappointment at the outcome. The Australian fighter admitted that he wasn’t feeling himself going into the fight and expressed his dismay at falling short. He added that he doesn’t want to end his career on a low and feels like his best is yet to come. 

Sean Strickland’s shocking victory over Israel Adesanya at UFC 293 has properly shaken up the UFC’s middleweight division. Strickland stunningly outpointed Adesanya over five rounds to become the new 185-pound king. Given that the middleweights have a new title target now, Robert Whittaker looks forward to using his UFC 290 loss as motivation to train harder. 

‘The Reaper’ claimed that he’s training harder than ever and wants to level up his game. With Strickland as the new champion, Whittaker is among those who are potentially one or two statement wins away from a title shot. ‘The Reaper’ knows this and is now looking to solidify his claim by beating a top-5 ranked opponent.