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Bobby Knuckles. The Reaper. Name him what you need, Rob Whittaker has firmly established himself as a legend within the UFC, and all of MMA for that matter. Few fighters handle to regulate to the calls for of hopping up a weight class. Whittaker nevertheless had no issues on his soar as much as the UFC’s middleweight division, a division stuffed to the brim with monsters. Whittaker’s rise within the middleweight division was legendary, and was highlighted by again to again wins in opposition to the mutant-like Yoel Romero. After the rise of Israel Adesanya nevertheless, Whittaker’s reign as Middleweight champion got here to an finish. Can the Reaper reclaim his title, or is the middleweight division now too saturated for a Bobby Knuckles comeback?
With the likes of Adesanya, and extra not too long ago Alex Pereira within the middleweight image, it’s by no means been tougher for the Reaper to reclaim his title. After two defeats to Adesanya, it’s wanting doubtless that the quantity 2 contender should accept the gatekeeper standing within the middleweight division. Whittaker has but to face Alex Pereira, who, after all is the one man to have crushed Israel Adesanya on a number of events in his profession in martial arts. If a possible match up between Pereira and Whittaker is made, and Whittaker had been to win, a trilogy battle with Adesanya could also be on the playing cards.
Whittaker’s file in opposition to different middleweight contenders
After a humbling loss in opposition to Adesanya again in 2019, Whittaker took a while to regroup, and went on a particularly dominant run in opposition to the opposite high contenders within the division. Whittaker began with a convincing win over Darren Until, then Jared Cannonier, and Kelvin Gastelum, which led to be one other shot in opposition to Adesanya.
Of their 2nd bout, Adesanya got here away the victor after 5 onerous rounds, however the second battle proved that Whittaker had the legs to go toe to toe with the very best on the earth. After Whittaker’s loss, he went on to beat Marvin Vettori by resolution. A bout with Paulo Costa was deliberate, nevertheless was cancelled, and now, Whittaker is dealing with DuPlessis at UFC 290.
The Reaper’s subsequent battle
Subsequent on the playing cards for the New Zealand born brawler is the well-rounded South African Dricus DuPlessis. DuPlessis’ robust file is adorned with knockouts in addition to submissions, which makes for a really attention-grabbing matchup when the 2 males take to the ring. Because it stands, Du Plessis is ranked as the joint 5th best middleweight in the division, and if he had been to drag off a win over Whittaker, a title battle can be a pure subsequent development.
By way of match up stats, Whittaker is the extra skilled fighter out of the 2, nevertheless DuPlessis is the taller, and possesses longer attain than the New Zealand born turned Aussie. Whittaker has three years on Duplessis, however apart from the peak and attain distinction, the 2 fighters are fairly comparable. UFC betting sites in Canada have presently set Whittaker because the favorite, pricing odds at -400 for the Reaper to win the bout.
What Whittaker vs. Pereira may imply
There may be one battle that would catapult Whittaker right into a trilogy battle with Adesanya if he had been to win it, and that battle can be with Alex Pereira. Many within the UFC group know Pereira, he has turn into referred to as one of many few fighters to cease Adesenya, and he has managed to take action inside two combating disciplines – in kickboxing, in addition to in MMA. Pereira’s knockout victory over Adesanya noticed him turn into champion of the middleweight division for simply 4 months, after Adesanya would come again to knock out the Brazilian and reclaim his title.
Since Pereira is the one fighter throughout the middleweight division who has managed to defeat the champion, he can very a lot be seen as the opposite gatekeeper for any of the highest of the middleweight contender pile seeking to take a crack on the title. If a battle between Whittaker and Pereira had been to go down, there’s little question {that a} trilogy battle can be on the playing cards for the winner of that bout.
Roberto Villa is the CEO, Founder, Govt Author, Senior Editor of FightBook MMA. Has a ardour for Fight Sports activities and in addition a podcast host for Sitting Ringside. He’s additionally a former MMA fighter and Kickboxer.
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