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“I’m definitely rooting for Whittaker. Just because they need to give Robert Whittaker someone else [other than the champion].”
Breakout UFC middleweight contender Jack Hermansson is rooting for Robert Whittaker to beat Darren Till in tonight’s UFC on ESPN 14 main event at Fight Island in Abu Dhabi.
The Swede, who is fresh off a shock, first-round submission win over former interim title challenger Kelvin Gastelum at UFC Fight Night 172, is rooting for Whittaker because he knows Till is only interested in a title shot right now.
“I’m definitely rooting for Whittaker,” Hermansson told MMA Fighting’s Damon Martin in a recent interview. “Just because they need to give Robert Whittaker someone else [other than the champion]. Hopefully they’ll feel the same.
“If Till wins, it’s very likely they’ll put him for the title. That’s how it works when you’re a big draw for him but I personally want Whittaker to win.”
Not only is Hermansson pulling for Whittaker but ‘The Joker’ believes the former middleweight titleholder should be the favorite due to his ‘fast combination striking’ and explosive leg kicks.
“I see Robert Whittaker coming off with the win actually,” he said. “I can see Robert Whittaker having those skills that Darren Till doesn’t handle too well like the explosiveness and the leg kicks that he does. The fast combination striking, I think that’s going to be a problem for Darren Till.
“Whittaker covers distance very well and Till can be a little bit open in the middle. He can also be a little too flatfooted so I think that’s going to be a problem against Robert Whittaker.”
UFC on ESPN: Whittaker vs. Till will take place later tonight, July 25, at Yas Island in Abu Dhabi.