Khamzat Chimaev’s dismantling of Robert Whittaker unfolded like the fall of Wall Street in 2008—a seemingly impenetrable institution crumbling under relentless pressure. While bewildered traders once watched helplessly as markets plummeted, the MMA world looked on in similar disbelief as Whittaker—the man who had survived Yoel Romero’s missiles on two separate occasions—was systematically broken down and slayed with a brutal face crank last year at UFC 308.

After the Abu Dhabi PPV, the former champion discussed the fight on the MMArcade podcast. He said, “Within seconds of the fight starting, I felt real comfortable standing with him, like real comfortable. Then the dude drops to like a millimeter. How do you stop that takedown? The takedown goes in, ankle picks me off the fence, it was a great takedown. It was a beautiful takedown. Even then, I knew that the squeeze that he was pushing on was going to be very hard to sustain throughout the rounds. It was just picture perfect, landed square between my chin and my lip. It hits right there and instantly my teeth gave out.”

Sounds like the setup for a scary flick, right? But if Whittaker gets a rematch, could the outcome be any different? And how does the former champ earn that shot? According to UFC analyst and former champion Michael Bisping, the answer is clear—a fight with Jared Cannonier. Impressed by Cannonier’s recent performance, ‘The Count’ believes Whittaker should be his next opponent. The two previously clashed five years ago at UFC 254, where the Aussie secured a unanimous decision victory.

Bisping sees this as the perfect opportunity for Whittaker to work his way back to a title shot—specifically, a rematch with ‘Borz’. Sharing his thoughts on his YouTube channel, Bisping explained: “Robert Whittaker, as we know, the last time we saw him was in Saudi Arabia last year. He went up against Khamzat Chimaev. He got choked out, he got finished, and he had his teeth squeezed in the very first round. Robert’s still at the top of his game. Robert would want it because he’s looking at it as a good fight to find his mojo, to come back from, to get back in the win column. A rematch five years in the making—I think that makes all the sense in the world ok.”

Bisping also believes that a fight against the 40-year-old Cannonier would be a confidence booster for ‘The Reaper’, given that he has already defeated him once before. He elaborated further, saying: “To beat somebody that he has beaten before. And of course, for Jared Cannonier—at 40 years old—Robert Whittaker is a massive household name in mixed martial arts. So that makes all the sense in the world.”

Cannonier once again proved that age is just a number with a stunning victory over Gregory Rodrigues at UFC Vegas 102. At 40 years old, the former middleweight title contender reminded the world that he’s still a dangerous force in the division, delivering a spectacular fourth-round knockout that left the UFC Apex crowd in awe.

It’s not just Michael Bisping who sees Whittaker as the ideal next opponent— ‘The Killa Gorilla’ seems to have his sights set on the former champion as well. In a recent interview, Cannonier revealed who he’s targeting for his next fight, making it clear that he’s eager for another shot at Robert Whittaker.

Jared Cannonier eyes a top-ranked opponent after recent triumph

Jared Cannonier has several potential opponents on his radar for his next fight, but he isn’t too optimistic about any of those matchups coming to fruition. Despite his dominant victory, the veteran understands that securing the fights he wants in the stacked middleweight division is easier said than done.

Speaking on the post-fight show on ESPN, Cannonier acknowledged the challenge of landing a high-profile fight: “I would love to fight the next guy above me, whoever’s above me. But to be honest, the chances of me getting one of those matchups… it’s kind of hard.”

With his options open, Cannonier has his eye on a rematch with Caio Borralho. However, it seems he’s even more interested in running it back with Robert Whittaker. The 40-year-old believes the UFC would be more inclined to book the Whittaker rematch, making it a more realistic path as he pushes toward title contention.

He explained: “Maybe a Robert Whittaker matchup. You know, Caio Borralho, that I just fought. I think the Robert Whittaker one, as far as guys ahead of me, would be more likely to happen… a matchup that the UFC would make. Being realistic with myself.”

Meanwhile, Whittaker is currently recovering from injury and is eager to get back into the title picture. ‘The Reaper’ has also revealed that he’s using this time to sharpen his skill set, ensuring he returns stronger than ever. So, do you think Jared Cannonier will get his rematch with Robert Whittaker? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!