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Former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker returns to the Octagon on Saturday in Abu Dhabi against Darren Till, but “Bobby Knuckles” revealed in a recently resurfaced podcast episode that he’d also be down to square off against any UFC fighter in the future regardless of gender.
When asked if he’d ever fight a female UFC fighter, Whittaker responded, “Would I fight a girl? Yeah. Equality!”
But when asked specifically about facing fellow Australian UFC star Megan Anderson, who weighs only 145 pounds but stands 6 feet, Whitaker said he’d likely pass on that smoke.
“She’s got range on me,” Whittaker said. “She’d smash me.”
“The Reaper” Is All About Getting Paid
Also known as “The Reaper”, Whittaker basically suggested that he’s all about getting paid to fight inside the UFC’s Octagon and that he’d be open to fighting anyone so long as that continued to happen.
Of course, by the end of his answer about facing female UFC fighters, he seemed to be questioning his own thought process on the matter before the podcast team over at Grange TV ultimately moved on to other things.
“Look, if I’m getting paid, then, yeah, I would, I guess,” Whittaker said. “But only at 84 kilos.”
Whittaker competes in the UFC 185-pound middleweight division, which is just under 84 kilograms (83.9146).
You can watch the entire exchange below.
Megan Anderson Responds
Anderson eventually saw that clip circulating on social media and seems to have enjoyed it.
“Hahahha I’m dead,” Anderson posted. “Thanks for the love fellas!”
Anderson is arguably the top women’s featherweight contender in the world right now who has yet to fight for the UFC women’s 145-pound title.
That division’s champion is currently Amanda Nunes, who also wears the women’s bantamweight crown and is considered the best female UFC fighter ever.
Regardless, it would seem the 30-year-old Anderson is on the way to receiving her title shot someday soon.
That fight would likely come against Nunes or perhaps Felicia Spencer again in a rematch to crown a new champion if Nunes decides to drop the belt or retire.
The UFC does not have rankings for the women’s 145-pound division beyond listing the champ.
If it did, Anderson would be at or near the top.
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UFC Fight Night: Whittaker vs. Till on July 25
You can see the most important details about Whittaker’s next fight as well as the entire card below.
What: UFC Fight Night: Whittaker vs. Till
When: July 25
Where: Yas Island in Abu Dhabi
Time: 8 p.m. ET (main card), 5 p.m. ET (prelims)
Channel: ESPN/ESPN+
Below is the full fight card as currently scheduled per ESPN.
Main Card
Robert Whittaker vs. Darren Till – Main Event
Mauricio “Shogun” Rua vs. Rogerio Nogueira – Co-Main Event
Fabricio Werdum vs. Alexander Gustafsson
Carla Esparza vs. Marina Rodriguez
Paul Craig vs. Gadzhimurad Antigulov
Alex Oliveira vs. Peter Sobotta
Khamzat Chimaev vs. Rhys McKee
Prelims
Francisco Trinaldo vs. Jai Herbert
Nicolas Dalby vs. Jesse Ronson
Tom Aspinall vs. Jake Collier
Movsar Evloev vs. Mike Grundy
Tanner Boser vs. Raphael Pessoa
Bethe Correia vs. Pannie Kianzad
Ramazan Emeev vs. Niklas Stolze
Nathaniel Wood vs. John Castaneda
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