Outside Source
Robert Whittaker took some positives from his most recent loss. | Getty/UFC
Robert Whittaker is taking his loss to Reinier de Ridder as a learning experience.
The former middleweight champion dropped a split decision to de Ridder in the UFC Abu Dhabi headliner at Etihad Arena in Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, this past Saturday. “The Reaper” had his moments in the fight, most notably a third-round knockdown that had his opponent in serious danger. Ultimately, Whittaker could not overcome his opponent’s grinding clinch work and overall activity.
Whittaker recently spoke about the fight for the first time since his in-cage nterview, releasing a brief video statement via Instagram.
“OK everybody, it’s a couple days since the fight, thought I’d give you all an update,I’m disappointed, but I’m not disheartened,” Whittaker said. “There were a lot of things I liked about the fight. There were a lot of things I didn’t, but I’m going to take it all, head back to the gym, sit with the team, pick it apart and then get back on the horse. That’s all you can do. Congratulations to de Ridder. He had a particular game plan, he executed it well, it got him the win. It is what it is sometimes. I’m going to learn from this experience and move forward.”
Whittaker has lost back-to-back fights for the first time since early in his promotional tenure, when he fell to Court McGee and Stephen Thompson in consecutive outings in 2013-14. It wasn’t much longer after that when the PMA Super Martial Arts representative moved to 185 pounds, where he has spent the majority of his UFC career.
Whittaker Hopes to Fight in Australia Upon Return
Looking ahead, Whittaker would like to compete on a card in Australia. That would mean a relatively quick turnaround if it happens this year, as the Las Vegas-based promotion recently announced a Fight Night event in Perth scheduled for Sept. 27.
“This isn’t the end of Robert Whittaker,” he said. “This is just another learning curve, another speed bump. . “I’m going to spend some time with my family. I’m going to just rest and recover a little bit and then hopefully get back on an Australian card. It’s been a while and honestly, I’m longing for it. It’s been a while since I’ve fought in Australia, and I’d love to fight here again. It’s time, but that’s me. Thank you very much everybody, tuning out.”
This article first appeared at Recent News on Sherdog.com
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