Where is Robert Whittaker from?

Robert John Whittaker, born on December 20, 1990, is a New Zealand-born Australian professional mixed martial artist. He competes in the Middleweight division (185 lbs) of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he holds the distinction of being a former UFC Middleweight Champion. At the age of seven, Robert and his brother were enrolled in a Goju-Ryu karate school to instill self-discipline and self-defense skills. After eight years of training and earning his black belt, Robert transitioned to hapkido under the guidance of Henry Perez. Perez’s gym eventually transformed into an MMA training center, and Whittaker found his passion in the sport, choosing it over rugby league, where he had excelled as a youth.

As of October 24, 2024, Whittaker is the #3 ranked middleweight in the UFC and maintains a record of 26 wins and 7 losses (26-7-0). Whittaker's next fight is scheduled against Khamzat 'Borz' Chimaev at UFC 308 on October 26, 2024, at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

Robert Whittaker Nationality

Robert Whittaker is from New Zealand. Whittaker was born in Otahuhu, Auckland, New Zealand, at Middlemore Hospital. His mother has Maori and Samoan ancestry, while his father is an Australian of European descent.

Shortly after arriving in Australia, Whittaker's father enrolled his brother and Robert, then seven, in a Goju-ryu Karate school to help them learn self-discipline and self-defense. His father gave him the option to switch to another sport or give up karate after he had trained in the discipline for just over eight years and received his black belt.

Robert, who moved to Menai after his brother decided to stop, made the decision to join Henry Perez's Hapkido gym. Soon after, Perez converted his gym into an MMA facility. Whittaker chose MMA over rugby league as his preferred sport.

When did Robert Whittaker debut in MMA?

On December 15, 2012, Whittaker made his UFC debut at UFC on FX 6, also known as "The Ultimate Fighter: The Smashes Finale." He would compete against Brad Scott to decide “The Ultimate Fighter: The Smashes”' welterweight champion.

When did Robert Whittaker become a middleweight champion?

At UFC 213 on July 8, 2017, Whittaker faced Yoel Romero for the interim middleweight championship after Michael Bisping revealed he had a persistent knee injury that would keep him out for several months. Whittaker won by a unanimous decision.

Due to a medial knee injury to his left leg, he missed the final quarter of 2017. After receiving a colitis diagnosis, former middleweight champion Georges St-Pierre gave up the title on December 7, 2017, and Whittaker gained the title of undisputed champion as a result.