UFC News: Robert Whittaker Wary of Khamzat Chimaev’s Threats as Undefeated ‘Villain’ Branded Honorable

UFC CEO, Dana White recently announced the blockbuster card for UFC Saudi Arabia. In the main event, former UFC middleweight champion, Robert Whittaker, and undefeated UFC prospect, Khamzat Chimaev will duke it out for the #1 contender spot in the division. With the fight announcement making waves in the MMA sphere, Whittaker recently gave his take on Chimaev as an opponent.

Robert Whittaker just recently had a decision win against Paulo Costa at UFC 298. Having faced most of the top guys in the division, it is very unlikely that the former champ is too intimidated going up against someone like Chimaev. Instead, Whittaker had some kind words to say about his upcoming opponent.

Robert Whittaker gives an evaluation of Khamzat Chimaev

During a recent episode of the MMArcade podcast, Whittaker talked about his upcoming matchup against Khamzat Chimaev. He claimed that he was looking for to his fight against the Chechen, understanding all the dangers coming his way.

Only the elite of the elite, like former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman, have gone into a fight against the Chechen willingly. His sheer dominance has made him a high-risk high-reward fighter in the promotion, and it seems Whittaker is all for it.

Whittaker claimed that he just had to ease into the fight, stating, “I’m looking forward to the fight. I understand he’s a hard fighter. He likes to grapple a lot. He uses his reach and range to good effectiveness. He’s got knockout power.” Whittaker also gave his thoughts on Chimaev, as he said, “He likes to play the villain against these guys, against his opponents, but… he’s an honorable fighter.”

“The Reaper” seems to believe that both he and “Borz” would leave everything inside the Octagon when they fight, claiming that he was looking forward to making history in Saudi Arabia. But what 0ther fights have the UFC CEO announced for the promotion’s first event in the country?

Dana White’s announcement of the fight card for UFC Saudi Arabia

In addition to the main event, the UFC CEO also revealed some more fights that will take place on the same card for UFC Saudi Arabia. The headliner, as mentioned will feature Robert Whittaker and Khamzat Chimaev for the no.1 contender spot. and the co-main event will feature two Russian heavyweights, Sergei Pavlovich and Alexander Volkov.

The card will also feature former UFC title challenger, Kelvin Gastelum taking on Daniel Rodriguez, alongside a clash between UFC light heavyweights, Johnny Walker and Volkan Oezdemir. And in another exciting matchup, UFC middleweight prospect, Sharaputdin Magomedov will make his return against the highly rated Ihor Potieria.

What do you think about the matchups so far? And what do you make of ‘The Reaper’s assessment of Chimaev? Let us know in the comments section below.

Also Read: Khamzat Chimaev Confirms He’s Returning for a Title Run In 2024, Despite Serious Health Update After UFC 294 Injury Against Kamaru Usman