Former UFC middleweight champion Robert “The Reaper” Whittaker (25-6 MMA, 15-4 UFC) is making a case for being the greatest number one contender of all time. Earlier this month at UFC Paris, he defended his spot for the fourth time in two years.
Whittaker was flawless in a unanimous decision victory over No. 3 ranked Marvin Vettori. After a close first round, he used his front kick to the body to keep the distance, leading to numerous head kicks and right hands. . One of his kicks to his head made the iron-chinned Vettori shiver momentarily.
The fan-favorite proved once again that the lyrics to his iconic farewell song “Can’t Be Touched” by Roy Jones Jr. dodged most of Vettori’s attacks with his “in and out” style. The Paris crowd roared his name and he received worldwide acclaim for another master class performance. Even Dillon Danis congratulated the Aussie in a now-deleted tweet.
Within his win, Whittaker improved his UFC takedown defense to 84 percent and his significant strikes landed per minute at 4.48. He is now 6-0 against the top 15 in the division, with his only losses in the past eight years coming against champion Israel Adesanya. This has led him to become one of the top three middleweights in UFC history, behind only Adesanya and Anderson Silva.
“The Reaper” has shown that there is a huge gap between the champion, himself and the rest of the division. Here are three options for who he could fight next:
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6 Paul Costa
The two were supposed to fight last April; however, Costa withdrew. He is coming off a victory over former champion Luke Rockhold. Given his range disadvantage and how often he gets hit, it looks like Whittaker will pick him out from the outside and thwart him. A victory over Costa should earn another shot at the title.
8 Jack Hermansson if he beats #5 Derek Brunson in December
Whittaker has already beaten most of the top five in the division. Hermansson will break into the top five with an upset over Brunson. Whittaker has yet to face him and may have him make a quick turnaround and fight on the Australian card rumored for the first quarter of 2023.
The winner of Adesanya and Alex Pereira If Adesanya defends his belt, there won’t be a clear #1 contender other than Whittaker. If Pereira wins and doesn’t give Adesanya an immediate rematch, Whittaker could be next. He could overpower him on the ground if he avoids getting hit by Pereira’s dynamite fists.
For now, the only things on “The Reaper’s” mind are French bakeries and Christmas. Bon Appetite!
Anik Subramanian is an aspiring MMA journalist living in the United States. She discovered her passion for MMA when the sport was the first to return to live action during the pandemic. She is also a black belt in Tae Kwon Do and has been a lifelong sports fan.
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