Robert Whiteford Hoping Big Performance at Bellator 267 Allows Him to Renegotiate Contract

Featherweight Robert Whiteford hopes he’d found a home in Bellator MMA.

Whiteford (16-4) enters his second bout with the promotion at Bellator 267 on Friday, opposite Andrew Fisher. It’s his first fight since November of 2019, where the former UFC fighter knocked out Sam Sicilia. That was a solid promotional debut for Whiteford, but unfortunately the coronavirus pandemic hit shortly after.

“I hope I’ve found a new home in Bellator,” Whiteford said during the event’s media day. “Nothing to complain about. So if all goes to plan, I’d like to finish out my career with Bellator. I think after this fight, I’ve got another two on the contract.” The Scottish fighter known as “The Hammer” is hoping to renew his contract after that, and possibly see the promotion heading to his native Scotland. Or renew it even sooner if possible.

“Ideally I’d love to renegotiate after the second fight, after I knock Andrew out in Fight of the Night. Hopefully I’m in a good position,” added Whitedord. “If not, we’ll do the contract and renegotiate at the end. But while I’m happy with where I’m at in Bellator, it’s always good to earn a little extra money, so I’d like to get the contract bumped up.”

Whiteford admitted that there’s some tough competition in Bellator. “Every organization has got some dangerous guys throughout.” He’s letting others judge the distance between the UFC and Bellator, but one thing that can’t be overlooked is his time away from competition. Whiteford has said he’s stayed active in the gym, but asked if the gym could replicate live fight experience, he admitted “probably not, to be honest.”

“I think most fighters if they’re honest enough will say they’re better if they’re active, I would think. But it’s not like I fight at a ten and I go in the gym and I drop to the six,” he told Cageside Press. “I’m always hovering about, firing on all cylinders. Definitely maybe sharpness and stuff like that [might decline], but I don’t think it’s that important as long as you’re training consistently, and level-headed like I am.”

Regardless of where or who he’s fighting, you’re going to get the same fight, Whiteford said. “I’m not one who gets effected by anything outside of that. So honestly it doesn’t even make a difference to me where I fight or how often and that, but ideally I’d like to be more active, and that would probably push my performance up a little bit.”

Of course, “everybody’s been in the same boat recently,” he noted, with the pandemic. Hopefully, Friday marks the start of more activity for the featherweight.

Watch the full Bellator 267 virtual media day press scrum with Robert Whiteford above. More coverage of the event can be found below. Bellator 267 takes place Friday, October 1 live at the SSE Arena, Wembly, United Kingdom.