Former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker has expressed willingness to face former light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira at 205 pounds. Whittaker debuted in the light heavyweight division this summer, securing a TKO victory over Nikita Krylov at UFC 329. Meanwhile, Pereira is currently competing at heavyweight.
However, Pereira has indicated that if he loses to Sergei Pavlovich at UFC 335, he plans to drop back down to light heavyweight. Should that happen, Whittaker is eager to take the fight.
In an interview with Submission Radio, Whittaker shared his interest in a potential bout against Pereira at light heavyweight. “It would be great. I’d love to welcome him back—it would be fun,” Whittaker said (via MMAjunkie.com). He added that the division is evolving with major fights on the horizon and expressed skepticism about Pavlovich’s chances against Pereira, noting that Pavlovich would need a knockout to win.
Whittaker, who previously held the UFC middleweight title, is pursuing his second championship at 205 pounds. His next step is a fight against Bogdan Guskov at UFC Sydney in February, where a victory—ideally a finish—would propel him further up the light heavyweight rankings. A win there could position Whittaker for a top contender matchup and bring him closer to a title shot. Given his star power and ability to draw fans, Whittaker might secure a title opportunity faster than others in the division.
Ultimately, Whittaker must first overcome Guskov to keep his light heavyweight ambitions on track.
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Fan Take: This potential matchup between Whittaker and Pereira could shake up the light heavyweight division, bringing two dynamic former champs head-to-head. For fight fans, it promises an exciting stylistic clash and could define the pecking order at 205 lbs moving forward.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
