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Robert Whittaker was scheduled to take on Khamzat Chimaev in a highly anticipated clash in the main event of UFC Saudi Arabia on June 22. However, less than two weeks before fight night, 'Borz' was forced to withdraw.
Chimaev's manager, Madji Shammas, released a statement clarifying that the middleweight had been plagued with a serious illness throughout fight camp. His health issues required several trips to the hospital, according to Shammas, and it is currently unclear when Chimaev will return to fighting.
'The Reaper' instead faced another touted prospect, Ikram Aliskerov, whose only career loss prior to facing Whittaker came against 'Borz' in 2019 under the Brave CF banner. The former middleweight champion proved why he still belongs at the top of the division as he knocked out Aliskerov in round one.
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Following the result, Chimaev was sure to let the Australian know that he had not forgotten about their scheduled fight, stating that the pair had "unfinished business."
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The 33-year old was asked about the Chechen's comments during a recent interview with From The Stands, where he said this:
"I will say, he says, 'See you soon.' And I'm like, where? The dude can't get into any country. Like, where are you gonna see me, bro? [Laughs] When I'm in the area, right? That's tricky to start with. Mate, I'm a middleweight, and I don't pick my fights. If that's a fight the UFC wants and still are interested in making... That's what I do."
Watch Robert Whittaker respond to Khamzat Chimaev below (13:15):
Robert Whittaker eager to be on stand-by for Dricus du Plessis vs. Israel Adesanya at UFC 305
UFC 305 will take place Robert Whittaker's home country of Australia, and the former middleweight champion has welcomed the chance to feature on the card.
He knocked out Ikram Aliskerov inside two minutes of their UFC Saudi Arabia clash and picked up no damage, meaning that a quick turnaround for UFC 305 in August is more than possible.
With the pay-per-view card being headlined by Dricus du Plessis vs. Israel Adesanya, 'The Reaper' has offered to be the emergency replacement for the title clash.
Following his win over Aliskerov, he was interviewed by ESPN MMA, where he said this:
"I'm in good health. I exited this party and it's in my home country. How can I say no? It's just around the corner."
Watch Robert Whittaker's interview below:
