Former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker will not be afraid to tussle on the bottom with Khamzat Chimaev when needed.
Whittaker (25-7 MMA, 16-5 UFC) takes on Chimaev (13-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC) within the UFC on ABC 6 principal occasion June 22 at Kingdom Enviornment in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Chimaev has mauled quite a few fighters on the bottom – together with Kamaru Usman in Spherical 1 of their UFC 294 combat. Nonetheless, Whittaker doesn’t see Chimaev with the ability to do the identical to him.
“He’s undoubtedly received a extremely sound jiu-jitsu sport, however he mixes it rather well together with his wrestling,” Whittaker informed ESPN Australia. “I believe what lots of people aren’t prepared for is the combination of the 2, making it actually MMA-esque.
“Using it up in opposition to the wall, utilizing his power together with his lengthy arms and tall body to push his sport plan on the fence, to push it to the bottom. While I undoubtedly suppose he’s harmful there, I’ve been grappling my total life. I’m very, very assured in my very own skillsets. Even when it have been a pure wrestling-jiu-jitsu format, I’d maintain my very own if not get a W in that manner too.”
With their combat being a five-round headliner, Whittaker is aware of he has the benefit there. He was capable of outlast Olympic silver medalist Yoel Romero twice in championship fights.
“I undoubtedly suppose the objective, very like all of my different opponents, is simply to go on the market and combat my combat,” Whittaker mentioned. “It’s about going on the market and pushing my sport plan onto him and see how he adjusts to me as a result of I convey an arsenal of skillsets that he’s not prepared for, I consider. I believe the surest approach to victory is to go in there, clearly not play to his strengths, which isn’t participating within the wrestling however not be afraid of it.
“I can wrestle with one of the best of them, and I’ve proven and proved that. I’m going to go in there, and I’m going to combat my combat. I’m going to combat a standup combat. I’m going to see the place it goes. I’m going to tug it out. It’s a five-round combat. I’ve been in loads of these, and I’ve received no give up in me, so let’s see how this goes.”
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