Former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker believes Brendan Allen needs to slow his role before calling for top contenders.
Allen (23-5 MMA, 11-2 UFC) wants a No. 1 contender fight after submitting Paul Craig in this past Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 232 headliner at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. He mentioned Jared Cannonier, Khamzat Chimaev, and Whittaker as desirable next fights, but Whittaker (25-7 MMA, 15-5 UFC) thinks Allen has a little more work to do after beating lower-ranked Craig.
“I’m pretty sure he said my name,” Whittaker said on his MMArcade Podcast. “I’m pretty sure in his speech he said he wants to fight a contender, he wants to fight me or Cannonier. I think he’s No. 10 now. He’s obviously just broken into those top guys. I don’t know, I’m not a matchmaker.
“Paul Craig wasn’t a 10th-ranked dude, he wasn’t in the top-10 rankings. He’s got to have his bite still, I guess. The top-10 fights. Just do your work. UFC realize that, recognize that. The matchmakers are there. I don’t know who he fights next. To be honest, I don’t care.”
Having heard these words, Allen made another pitch to Whittaker on X.
Wellll mr @robwhittakermma feel free to show me what those top guys are like. I always wanted a former champ/future HOF on my resume https://t.co/OGTQIgOQZo
— Brendan Allen (@BrendanAllenMMA) November 22, 2023
Wellll mr @robwhittakermma feel free to show me what those top guys are like. I always wanted a former champ/future HOF on my resume
Allen is on a six-fight winning streak. Meanwhile, Whittaker is coming off a TKO loss to Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 290 in July. Prior to that, Whittaker won four out of his past five, including a unanimous decision over former title challenger Marvin Vettori.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 232.
