Robert Whittaker believes Khamzat Chimaev would not have fared any better than this past weekend.
This past Saturday, Whittaker was supposed to face Chimaev in the main event of UFC Saudi Arabia, until an illness forced Chimaev off the card. And while Chimaev has struggled to make it to the cage in recent years, Whittaker says he no doubts “Borz” would make it to the fight, until he was told otherwise.
“Not really, because of the location,” Whittaker told Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour. “I do know he’s had trouble getting to certain places and obviously health-wise, but you can’t account for health. Obviously the location, I thought, was pretty bang on for him to get there. But it is what it is. I’m glad he’s doing well. I think he’s much healthier than he was pulling out. Outside of the octagon we’re just people. I don’t want anyone getting sick.”
Instead of Chimaev, Ikram Aliskerov stepped in on short notice to save the event, but things did not go well for him. Whittaker summarily dispatched Aliskerov, knocking him out in under two minutes for his first stoppage win since 2017. And Whittaker believes if Chimaev didn’t withdraw from the event, the result would have been the same.
“I was pretty primed and ready,” Whittaker said. “I am 99 percent sure I would have starched Khamzat as well. Our paths may cross one day in the division, as guys at the top of the game, but he dodged a bullet that night, that’s for sure.”
Of course, Chimaev does not agree. Shortly after Whittaker’s win, “Borz” went on social media, telling Whittaker the two were not done yet, and which Whittaker says simply made him laugh.
“First off I was like, when are you going to see me, bro?” Whittaker said. “You can’t go into a lot of countries. [Laughs]. We’re not going to cross paths, dude. And I’m not going to be in the area. [Laughs].
“Like I said, I’m a middleweight. If he’s a middleweight — because I know he fights at welterweight sometimes as well — if we’re both at the top of the game, our paths may cross. I didn’t duck ya. I didn’t not sign the contract to fight you.”
Since bursting onto the UFC in 2020, Chimaev has struggled to stay active due to a combination of illness and travel restrictions. The next likely date for a Chimaev return would be UFC 308 in October when the promotion heads to Abu Dhabi, and while Whittaker won’t commit to anything right now, if the UFC wants to rebook the fight for then, “Bobby Knuckles” might be amenable.
“Potentially,” Whittaker said about an Abu Dhabi matchup. “Let’s see how it pans out.”