Feb 17, 2024; Anaheim, California, USA; Robert Whittaker reacts following the match against Paulo Costa during UFC 298 at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

mma

Sean Strickland vs Robert Whittaker? Former Champion Wants This Fight In Sydney!

Feb 17, 2024; Anaheim, California, USA; Robert Whittaker reacts following the match against Paulo Costa during UFC 298 at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Robert Whittaker and Sean Strickland have been circling each other in the rankings for years without ever actually fighting. Both guys are former champions who have been at the top of the division. Whittaker held the title from 2017 to 2019 before losing it to Israel Adesanya, while Strickland shocked everyone by beating Adesanya for the belt in 2023, only to lose it back to Dricus du Plessis last year. Now with both men coming off losses and looking to rebuild their title hopes, fighting each other actually makes perfect sense for both careers.

Whittaker dropped back-to-back fights to Reinier de Ridder and Khamzat Chimaev, which puts him in a tough spot at age 34. The Australian has been honest about being in the later stages of his career, but he’s not ready to hang up the gloves just yet. A fight against another former champion like Strickland would give him a chance to prove he still belongs in the elite tier of middleweights.The same thing applies for Strickland. He has also dropped two fights, both to Du Plessis.

Robert Whittaker Wants This Matchup In Sydney

Whittaker has been pushing hard for this fight to happen in Sydney next February. He believes that they both have been circling each other for quite some time and now, the time feels right. Moreover, he feels that Strickland brings a lot of eyes to the card. Talking on the MMA Arcade podcast, this is what he said:

“I want to fight in Sydney next February. That’s when I’d like to fight next… I’d love to fight Strickland. I’ve been wanting that fight for a while. I think it’d be a good fight. He always brings people to cards. I don’t think he’ll come all the way to Australia. But let’s see what happens.”

Robert Whittaker wants to fight Sean Strickland in Sydney 🔥🇦🇺

"I want to fight in Sydney next February. I'd love to fight Strickland. I've been wanting that fight for a while. I think it'd be a good fight. He always brings people to cards. I don't think he'll come all the way… pic.twitter.com/8xAisAfhoh
— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) September 21, 2025

The former UFC champion admitted he’s been wanting to fight Strickland for a while now. Strickland has become one of the most talked-about fighters in the division, partly because of his controversial comments outside the cage and partly because his fighting style is weirdly effective despite looking pretty basic.

The timing works out well for both fighters too. Strickland has been sitting out since his title loss to Du Plessis in February, dealing with a suspension that should be over by 2026. He’s ranked fourth in the division right now, while Whittaker sits just below him in the rankings. Neither guy is getting a title shot anytime soon with Chimaev likely facing other contenders, so they might as well fight each other and see who can work their way back up the ladder.

(Image Credit: Gary A. Vasquez – Imagn Images)

Robert Whittaker

Sean Strickland

Zaid Quraishi

mma

I am a dedicated MMA and Boxing content writer at The Playoffs. I was instantly hooked on MMA after watching the fight between Lyoto Machida vs. Gegard Mousasi back in 2014, and since then, i have been an avid writer with a deep love for the sport and its techniques, providing readers with a thorough understanding of the sport. My favorite aspect of working at The Playoffs is the creative freedom it provides. The diverse range of topics, from listicles and SEO to news articles, keeps me engaged and motivates me to continuously improve my skills! I aim to capture the excitement of the combat sports world in my writing, acting as the middleman between fighters and their die-hard fans. It is kind of like a referee, but with words!