Sidelined since earlier this summer, former undisputed middleweight champion, Robert Whittaker has confirmed plans to make a return to the Octagon at a UFC 299 event in March in Miami, Florida – having received a recent callout from former title challenger, Paulo Costa for a bout the month prior.
Whittaker, a former undisputed middleweight champion and current number three ranked division gold holder, has been sidelined since he featured on the main card of UFC 290 back in July during International Fight Week.
Suffering just his third defeat at the middleweight limit since his move to the weight class, Auckland-born contender, Whittaker dropped a second round ground strikes TKO loss to incoming title challenger, Dricus du Plessis, who is slated to headline UFC 297 in January in a title challenge against gold holder, Sean Strickland.
Robert Whittaker eyes comeback at UFC 299 in March
And announcing plans for his return to the Octagon in the opening quarter of next year, Whittaker targets a comeback at UFC 299 in March, which organizational CEO, Dana White confirmed would be hosted in Miami, Florida.
“Let’s give it another go,” Robert Whittaker posted on his official Instagram account. “#UFC299.”
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Robert Whittaker has teased a fight at UFC 299
What fight makes the most sense for ‘The Reaper’? pic.twitter.com/vBkDlVw8S6
— Chisanga Malata (@Chisanga_Malata) November 30, 2023
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Receiving a slew of call outs for his return to the Octagon in recent weeks, most recently, Whittaker was the subject of a call out from former title challenger, Costa – who failed to put pen to paper on a bout agreement to fight the ex-champion at UFC 284 earlier this year in Australia.
Himself naming his ideal opponent for a return to the Octagon, Whittaker urged former welterweight champion and prior pound-for-pound number one, Kamaru Usman to stay at 185 pounds, as he eyes a fight against the Nigerian.
“Definitely, the (Kamaru) Usman fight interests me because I just think we are both guys that are at the tip of the food chain and I want to give him a proper welcome to the middleweight division,” Robert Whittaker explained. “I just like that fight… he’s one of the best welterweights to do it and I think fighting fights of that calibre makes me excited. It’s a face I haven’t fought before, it’s exciting, it’s different.”
Who would you like to see Robert Whittaker fight in his return to the Octagon?