Robert Whittaker is weighing on a hypothetical struggle between UFC mild heavyweight champ Alex Pereira and the undefeated Khamzat Chimaev.
Over the previous few days, rumors circulated about an out-of-nowhere matchup between the 2 fashionable rivals. Whittaker, who not too long ago suffered a first-round submission loss to Chimaev at UFC 308 in October, has seen the social media dialogue concerning the matchup, and mentioned it on his MMArcade podcast.
“Chimaev [would win], simply,” Whittaker stated. “Not simply, [but] Chimaev although [is my pick].”
Chimaev is in prime place to struggle for the middleweight title in his subsequent struggle following his brutal end of Whittaker. Dricus du Plessis is ready to defend the belt in opposition to Sean Strickland in a rematch at February’s UFC 312 occasion.
Pereira might face prime contender Magomed Ankalaev after three profitable title defenses in 2024, however “Poatan” has already teased that won’t be his subsequent opponent. The Brazilian star has additionally been referred to as out a number of instances by heavyweight champion Jon Jones for a superfight.
But when the UFC had been to in some way put collectively a Pereira vs. Chimaev matchup, although Whittaker feels assured Chimaev would win, he does see a possible nightmare state of affairs for “Borz.”
“I don’t know, except the [light] heavyweight energy change is a dynamic that Chimaev can’t take [him down]… Chimaev will get the takedown,” Whittaker defined. “He’s good at what he does, performs into his energy.
“However, let’s say hypothetically, [if] Chimaev slows down, gasses somewhat bit, Pereira gained’t. He can strike asleep, lifeless drained. He’s been doing it his complete life. He’ll kill Chimaev within the standup. It gained’t be just like the Usman-Chimaev struggle the place Usman was form of out-boxing him somewhat bit at that interval when Chimaev obtained drained. It’ll be a slaughter [if he does that with Pereira].”
