Oh, Robert Whittaker. After a tough loss to Dricus Du Plessis, he’s still confident. Says he’d win “nine out of 10 times.” That’s some serious belief in his own skills, huh?
And then there’s Du Plessis. Knocked Whittaker out in the second round at UFC 290. Boom, title shot. Next thing you know, he’s taking down Sean Strickland at UFC 297. New middleweight champ, just like that.
Whittaker’s kicking himself a bit, though. Underestimated Du Plessis, he admits. Thought he had the upper hand in skills. But, as he put it, facing a “big, strong, hungry guy” requires matching that hunger. Seems he learned that the hard way.
Now, Whittaker’s eyes are set on Paulo Costa. UFC 298, Anaheim, California, February 17. They’ve tried to set this up before, but no dice. “Bobby Knuckles” is itching for this fight.
He’s taking his loss to Du Plessis as a wake-up call. Back to the drawing board. Tweaks here, adjustments there. He’s coming back hungrier, more focused. Wants to unleash the beast within.
And Costa? Whittaker’s not just looking for a win. He wants to make a statement. Hurt Costa. That’s the plan. With that kind of fire, this fight’s shaping up to be something else.