Las Vegas, NV — If you’re looking past Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 290 this Saturday, rest assured, his opponent Robert Whittaker is not.
On Wednesday, “The Reaper,” a former UFC middleweight champion, referred to Du Plessis as “the unknown.” And Whittaker (25-5) knows exactly how dangerous the former KSW champ Du Plessis is.
“I understand the dangers he presents. Because not only is he well-rounded, and an athlete, and physically he’s a big guy, he’s not a small fella— he has nothing to lose,” Whittaker pointed out, speaking to media outlets including Cageside Press. “Everyone’s already washed him. He’s the underdog in this fight. Tell me something more dangerous than a man with nothing to lose, everything to gain.”
“To show respect for that level of danger that he’s brought, I’ve trained like a madman for the last 14 weeks. And may the best man win. He’s going to get the best version of myself come the weekend.”
What has kept Whittaker giving his best, and among the best 185 pound fighters in the world, is worth examining. Asked what has kept him on top while other contenders have moved up and down, the Australian admitted that he doesn’t really pay much attention to the numbers.
Rob Whittaker doesn't sweat the rankings unless you're the one in front of him or the champ #UFC290
🎥: @doublegontv
WATCH: https://t.co/5iOTrmgXpB pic.twitter.com/e1Tf6H1GcU
— Cageside Press (@Cagesidepress) July 5, 2023
“Firstly, I don’t really look at the rankings. Unless you’re the next guy I’m fighting, it doesn’t matter. Or unless you’re in possession of the objective at the end of the game, it doesn’t matter,” Whittaker told Cageside Press. “So with the movement and the new blood and everything that’s happening in the division, it’s cool. It’s cool. But in terms of staying at the top, I guess, I have drive. I have drive.”
That drive comes from those around him, Whittaker went on to explain. “My family, my kids, they give me the drive I need. Unlimited drive, unlimited fuel to do what I need to do. And my coaches are always pushing me to get 1% better every single day. To try and inch out new angles of my game so that every fight I go into, you see a better version of myself. And I’d like to think that that’s exactly what has been happening.”
Which means we could be in for an even better version of Robert Whittaker at UFC 290 this weekend.
Watch the full UFC 290 media day appearance by Robert Whittaker above.
