Why Robert Whittaker is fighting Khamzat Chimaev in Saudi Arabia instead of Sean Strickland in Perth

The 33-year-old is adamant a win over the Chechen phenom will see him book a title fight later this year, but didn’t completely rule out making a quick turnaround for the UFC 305 blockbuster in Perth.

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Fresh off a three-round win over Paulo Costa in February, Whittaker – like the rest of the MMA world – felt a title eliminator against Strickland was the most obvious match to make.

“I was playing matchmaker in my head, and the timing and date in August seemed the way to go,” Whittaker told this masthead. “But, fate had other plans.

“I thought Strickland would’ve been the next one, but I got a call saying, ‘Do you want Chimaev in Saudi Arabia?’

“It was about 13 weeks out, I was in perfect health so thought why not?”

Whittaker’s team had made general enquiries about the Sydneysider taking on Strickland, but there were no concrete plans in place.

Despite beating Israel Adesanya for the middleweight title in Sydney last year, Strickland has ruled out fighting in Australia ever again.

“No way. Getting in the country is too hard, and I don’t even know if I can get in the country,” the controversial American told this masthead.

“I think parliament talked about me when I was making fun of the women.

“So, I’d need to get a visa approved, and the people of Australia are great, but the government took your nuts.”

UFC President Dana White said the winner of Whittaker and Chimaev’s headline bout in Riyadh will be given a middleweight title fight next.

Current champion Dricus Du Plessis is expected to defend the title against Adesanya in Perth in August, and Whittaker wants the winner.

“A win over Chimaev gets me a fight for the title next. That’s just how it is,” he said. “Dricus has surprised a lot of people several times, and I’m willing to be surprised again.

“(Du Plessis beating Adesanya) wouldn’t be as shocking as it would’ve been three years ago.

“But, I can also see Adesanya piecing him up for five rounds.”

Asked who he’d rather fight for the title, Whittaker goes back to his UFC 290 defeat to Du Plessis in July.

“I’d like to get back that loss against Dricus,” he said. “I feel I can do better.

“I feel like I’m back on track, I’ve realigned a few things that were out of alignment the fight before last.”

If he manages to score an early finish against Chimaev, or comes through five rounds unscathed, Whittaker wouldn’t rule out fighting in Perth.

“If fortune favours me, and I get out there and it’s an early night at the office – which I always try to achieve and that’s what I train for – a quick turnaround would be perfect,” he said.

“But in some of the comments on my posts they’ve been saying I couldn’t finish a seven ounce Sprite.

“So, I don’t know how fast a turnaround would happen. I kind’ve drag things into five round wars. They’re exciting, but that’s what I do.”

The undefeated Chimaev has hovered between welterweight and middleweight his entire career, but is now settled at 185-pounds.

The 29-year-old wrestler is ranked 11th in the division after a three-round decision win over late-notice opponent Kamaru Usman in October, and Whittaker is keen on handing him his first loss.

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“I like testing myself,” he said. “He’s the newest hype train. He’s the boogie man at the moment and I’m good at fighting the boogiemen.

“I train to dismantle these people and that’s exactly what I’m going to do.

“In my opinion, your hardest fight is always your next one, that’s just how it is. I’m his next one, and I’m a hard fight for anyone.”