Robert Whitaker, the former middleweight champion, has entered the YouTube podcast world with his close friend Jonny Roses with the MMA Arcade podcast. In the recent episode of the podcast, Whitaker provided his take on the UFC 294 co-main event between Khamzat Chimaev and Kamaru Usman.
Whitaker is presently ranked second in the UFC’s middleweight division. Like Usman and Chimaev, Whitaker started his career in the welterweight division. Chimaev and Usman are ranked 4 and 1 in the welterweight rankings of the UFC.
Whittaker offers blunt analysis of Chimaev-Usman clash
Robert Whitaker did not hold back when predicting the co-main event of UFC 294. Moreover, he also spoke about Chimaev’s original opponent, Paulo Costa, who withdrew due to staph infection. Whitaker gave his prediction that Khamzat Chimaev would be too much for Kamaru Usman.
Moreover, he highlighted the part that Usman is coming on short notice. Furthermore, “The Reaper” clarified that Chimaev has a specific set of skills to negate what Usman does inside the Octagon. Whitaker was mainly pointing out the fact that coming on short notice is very detrimental to Chimaev for Usman.
With Dana White announcing that the winner of Usman vs Chimaev getting a title shot, Whitaker pondered about Dricus Du Plessis, the current number-one contender in the division. Interestingly, Du Plessis defeated Whitaker in his most recent bout to take the number one ranking. Moreover, Du Plessis had a rivalry brewing with former champion, Israel Adesanya.
Previously, Chimaev spoke about not wanting to fight Whitaker at middleweight. He cited Whitaker being a cordial person and not having any beef with Chimaev as the reason for it. Chimaev even admitted to wanting to train with Whitaker.
Chimaev labels Kamaru Usman as old version of himself
In the pre-fight presser of UFC 294, Khamzat Chimaev provided an interesting comparison with him and Usman. He said that he is an Iphone Pro to Usman who is an Iphone 5. Chimaev was referencing the old age and wear and tear of Usman to his youth and vigor.
Usman is coming off two losses while Khamzat Chimaev has been destroying all his opponents sans Gilbert Burns. Interestingly, Usman knocked out Gilbert Burns who gave Chimaev his toughest fight in his professional MMA career. Betting odds suggest an easy victory for Chimaev and so do analysts and other fighters.
Usman and Chimaev were on a collision course at welterweight. However, they are clashing in the middleweight division at UFC 294. Moreover, a victory over Usman would give Chimaev, a recognition on his resume. Furthermore, It would pave for a clash with Sean Strickland, the controversial middleweight champion of the UFC.
Both Usman and Chimaev have a history with Sean Strickland. Usman defeated Strickland at welterweight while Khamzat Chimaev trained with the middleweight champion prior to his clash against Gilbert Burns at Extrem Couture.
With respect to Robert Whitaker’s prediction, do you think Khamzat Chimaev would be too much for Usman?
