Former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker was scheduled to battle ex-title challenger Marvin Vettori at the upcoming UFC 275 pay-per-view (PPV) event on June 11 in Singapore; however, a late injury to “The Reaper” put that 185-pound contest on ice.
Temporarily.
Vettori was briefly campaigning for a new opponent but unfortunately for “The Italian Dream,” the only two middleweights who made sense in terms of rankings — Sean Strickland and Alex Pereira — were already booked to compete at UFC 276 in July.
“Alright so I guess since [UFC] can’t find an opponent any earlier I’m fighting Whittaker in Paris,” Vettori wrote on Twitter. “You better show the fuck up this time. Lets do it, I’ve been waiting for too long now. Rob are we gonna do this yeah? No bullshit, that’s the date you wanted.”
Whittaker’s reply was short and simple: “PARIS.”
While both fighters appear interested in the overseas showdown, the promotion has yet to make a formal offer, according to MMA Fighting. In addition, the details have yet to be finalized for the upcoming event in Paris, so we’re still a long way from being official.
Vettori (18-5-1) is coming off a gritty, unanimous decision victory over Brazilian bruiser Paulo Costa at UFC Vegas 41 last October. The 18-5 Whittaker, meanwhile, recently dropped a unanimous decision loss to longtime rival Israel Adesanya at UFC 271 last February.
Expect more details on Whittaker vs. Vettori in the coming weeks.