\u201cThe Reaper\u201d is ready for a new challenge.<\/p>\n
Former UFC Middleweight champion Robert Whittaker has officially set his sights on a move<\/a> to Light Heavyweight, signaling a late-career shake-up after more than a decade competing at 185 pounds.<\/p>\n Whittaker began his UFC run at Welterweight, fighting six times at 170 pounds before moving up to Middleweight \u2014 a decision that changed his career. He went on to capture the interim UFC Middleweight title<\/a>, which was later promoted to undisputed status, and competed 19 times in the division.<\/p>\n But after falling out of the title picture \u2014 and riding a two-fight skid \u2014 the 35-year-old believes it\u2019s time to test himself at 205 pounds.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m going to give it a go,\u201d Whittaker told Submission Radio. \u201cI know a lot of naysayers, a lot of things on the internet saying \u2018small this, small that.\u2019 Shut up, dude. I want to give it a go. I\u2019m on the tail end of my career, so like I got to try rather than just thinking about what ifs.\u201d<\/p>\n Whittaker is coming off a razor-close split decision loss<\/a> to Reinier de Ridder, preceded by a brutal stoppage defeat against Khamzat Chimaev that left him with a broken jaw<\/a>. While he insists he can still make 185 pounds, he\u2019s questioning whether the weight cut is preventing him from performing at his best.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve been playing with the idea for a long time,\u201d Whittaker said. \u201cDuring the break, I was training at a heavier weight. I want to lock in and move into this weight division. There\u2019s no doubt in my mind I could make middleweight. I can make it still, I can lose the weight, but I just don\u2019t know if I\u2019m getting the best out of myself, having to cut that weight. The camp performance kind of really suffers on the back end of a weight cut, and a lot of fighters can testify that.\u201d<\/p>\n As for a return date, he hopes to fight this summer, a time of the year that he often fights.<\/p>\n \u201cI want to give myself the appropriate amount of time to really get all the gears going again,\u201d Whittaker said. \u201cEspecially if I\u2019m moving up to 205, I want to adjust to the weight. I want to perform at the weight. I want to build some muscle, etc. I want to give myself like a decent leg of work, like a good four months to prep and come in there at my best.\u201d<\/p>\n While he may be undersized compared to the division\u2019s biggest Light Heavyweights, the landscape at 205 pounds is so weak that he\u2019ll probably find success.<\/p>\n Perhaps a showdown with fellow veteran Nikita Krylov could be next.<\/p>\n