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Robert Whittaker suffered defeat at the hands of Israel Adesanya in the main event at UFC 271. This marked the second time Adesanya has defeated him for the middleweight title. The loss now leaves Whittaker with a tough road ahead, especially if he wants another crack at the title.
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Given the series now stands at 2-0, Whittaker faces a challenging task in generating interest in a potential third fight with the champion. To do so, 'The Reaper' will now have to pick up several wins at middleweight.
Nonetheless, Whittaker has stated that becoming the champion is his goal. Hence, it will be interesting to see where his journey back to the top begins. The middleweight division hosts several big names. Many of them are already scheduled for other bouts, so Whittaker's options are not as numerous as you might expect.
With that in mind, here are five potential opponents for Robert Whittaker after his UFC 271 setback:
#5. Robert Whittaker vs. Sean Strickland
Jarred Cannonier appears to have pulled ahead of Sean Strickland in the race to become the next number one contender for the middleweight title. With that fight off the table for Strickland, perhaps a bout with the No.1 ranked fighter in the division would be a suitable consolation prize.
Strickland is undefeated at middleweight and has put together a six-fight winning streak that has pushed him into the title conversation. Additionally, a win over Whittaker would cement his status as the next challenger for the belt.
This fight does not rank higher because of just how tough Whittaker is. The UFC appears to have a fresh new challenger for the title in Strickland. However, putting him in the octagon against 'The Reaper' and risking him losing all his momentum may not make sense.
#4. Robert Whittaker vs. Marvin Vettori
Robert Whittaker and Marvin Vettori are the last two men to challenge Israel Adesanya for the middleweight title. Both men went the distance with the champion and had moments of success in the wrestling department. However, the pair ultimately fell short in their efforts to win gold.
With both men now having suffered two defeats to the current champ, their path to the title won't be easy. To generate interest in a trilogy fight, they will have to clear out much of the competition at middleweight. With each of them in a similar spot, perhaps pitting them against each other would make sense.
With that being said, this fight does not rank higher because there seems a good chance that the UFC will save it for a later date. This is because Vettori has already rebounded from his loss with an impressive victory over Paulo Costa.
Due to this, the UFC may choose to wait and see if Whittaker can get back in the win column himself before pairing up these two. A bout between the pair seems inevitable at some point, and it will be interesting to see how Whittaker copes with Vettori's wrestling-heavy offense.
#3. Robert Whittaker vs. Paulo Costa
Paulo Costa and Robert Whittaker were scheduled to fight in April of last year. However, Costa ultimately withdrew due to illness. With both men now needing a big win to get momentum back on their side, perhaps it is time to match them up again.
Costa is on a two-fight losing streak and spectacularly failed to make weight last time out against Vettori. The UFC also wanted Costa to move to the light heavyweight division. If he fails to do so, you can expect the UFC not to do 'Borrachinha' any favors in terms of an opponent.
Whittaker would undoubtedly be a tough test for Costa. This fight could also be a good way to decide whether the Brazilian needs to move up to 205 lbs. For Whittaker, it would allow him to get back on track in a big way as he now attempts to re-build following Saturday's loss.
#2. Robert Whittaker vs. Jack Hermansson
Following his recent loss to Sean Strickland, a fight with Robert Whittaker is probably not what Jack Hermansson would expect. However, both men are now coming off losses. They are both highly ranked, and with much of the middleweight division fighting other opponents, perhaps this is the fight to make.
A fight between these two would let the UFC know who might be capable of putting together a title run. This clash could also highlight who requires a step down in the level of competition.
This fight would also pose a very different challenge for Whittaker compared to what he faced in Adesanya. Instead of his striking skills, Hermansson is better known for his exceptional grappling, which would make this fight an exciting clash of styles.
#1. Robert Whittaker vs. Derek Brunson II
Derek Brunson indicated after his loss at UFC 271 that he would like one more fight before retiring. He is deserving of a big-time fight in his last outing, and Robert Whittaker would certainly provide that. They are also in similar positions as highly ranked fighters coming off tough losses.
Whittaker needs to start racking up wins against high-ranked middleweights, so this fight appears to be a perfect starting point for him. Should he pick up the win, he could then look at derailing other fighter title pushes until there is interest in seeing him challenge for the title.
The rankings of these fighters also make it a bout that makes sense. While Whittaker may face a long road back to the title picture, he remains the No.1 ranked fighter in the division, so fighting someone too far down the rankings wouldn't make sense.
