(ALSO SEE: Sean Shelby’s Shoes: What’s next for Darren Till after UFC on ESPN 14 loss?)
Robert Whittaker lived up to his promise not to be a fighter who takes a hard fall after losing a UFC title on Saturday when he defeated Darren Till in the UFC on ESPN 14 main event.
It wasn’t the most emphatic of results, but Whittaker (21-5 MMA, 12-3 UFC) proved he’s still very much a top contender in the middleweight division after losing the belt to Israel Adesanya at UFC 243 in October when he scored a unanimous decision win over Till (18-3-1 MMA, 6-3-1 UFC) in their main event matchup, which took place at Flash Forum at Yas Island in Abu Dhabi.
With the win, Whittaker improved to 9-1 since he moved up to the UFC middleweight division in November 2014. His lone blemish came in the title fight with Adesanya, and after beating Till, “The Reaper” affirmed he’s absolutely “championship-level.”
Given the recency of his fight with Adesanya, though, a crack at the belt might not be in his near future, especially if “The Last Stylebender” defends against Paulo Costa at UFC 253 on Sept. 19.
So, with that in mind, what makes most sense for Whittaker next? Could Jack Hermansson (21-5 MMA, 8-3 UFC) get his wish after calling out the winner of Whittaker vs. Till following his submission of Kelvin Gastelum seven days prior?
Watch the video above for thoughts and analysis on Whittaker’s future after UFC on ESPN 14.
