R. Whittaker sports his old belt. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram @robwhittakermma
The former middleweight champion (up to 83,9kg.), Robert whittaker, surprised by saying that he had no taste for being considered number one in his division. After losing the title to Israel adesanyaIn October, the Australian revealed that he prefers to work away from the spotlight and the media. In an interview with 'Ariel Helwani's MMA Show', the fighter talked about his expectations and plans for the future in MMA.
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“I didn’t really like (being champion). It's one of those things that happens to some professional athletes, but it ended up distracting me. There's a lot of media, a lot of expectations and pressure. That didn’t agree with me,” he revealed.
The Australian, however, assured that his passion lies only in acting. The athlete prefers the challenge of facing his next opponent and not just chasing a belt.
“I stay focused on one fight at a time. I liked that. I loved doing this. Now, I'm hungrier than ever. Honestly, I can say that. I'm excited for my next appointment and what the next year will bring. I can’t wait to fight again”, said the fighter.
Although the belt is not an obsession for the former champion, he is mistaken that a new fight for the title is ruled out for the athlete. Although he is not the fixed target, the Australian guarantees that, if he continues to win, he will eventually have a chance again to be at the top of the category, which is currently dominated by Adesanya.
“The belt was never the main objective. The title was never the target, but rather the result of good work,” she commented.
Robert also stated another motivational factor for him to continue with his career even after being ousted by Israel. The middleweight said that being considered the underdog is one of the reasons why he trains and reaches the point of defeating his opponents.
“I've always been a guy who likes to fight. I like the challenge, the next opponent. I like working on how I'm going to beat you. Another thing is that I love being the underdog. I love it when people write that I'm going to lose. I love battles”, concluded the Australian.
Whittaker still doesn't have his next opponent confirmed by Ultimate. However, in recent weeks the athlete accepted the challenge made by Darren till, who recently left the light heavyweight category (up to 77kg.) and emerged victorious over the former interim middleweight title challenger, Kelvin Gastelum.
Both the English and the Australian agreed to exchange forces and the suggestion was a battle in the UFC London, in 2020. The UFC, however, has not yet confirmed the negotiations.
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