"Definitely not when I'm around"- Robert Whittaker pokes fun at Marvin Vettori and discusses his potential to be the UFC middleweight champion

Robert Whittaker recently defeated Marvin Vettori by unanimous decision at UFC Paris. Two judges handed all three rounds to Whittaker, while one judge had Whittaker taking two rounds. Fans agreed with the judges' decision, as many stated that the fight was too easy.

Whittaker recently gave his opinion on Vettori's title chances going forward.

Robert Whittaker, who was the middleweight champion for nearly two years before losing his belt to Israel Adesanya, was asked about Vettori's ability to become a UFC champion. Speaking with Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour, Whittaker stated (starting at the 12:37 mark):

"Definitely not while I'm around, but I think he has something that is super - why he's won so many of his fights. I said this in a lot of the interviews leading up to him, he has zero quit in him, and that'll take a guy very, very far. You've seen it in a lot of his fights where he's fighting a dude that is flashier, more skillful, and more technical, but he doesn't give up and then his opponent eventually does."

Whittaker elaborated on his thoughts, adding:

"It's a dangerous trait to have, especially someone who's young enough, like he is, to continue learning and to continue growing. I'm not going to take anything away from him. Still don't think he beats me. Definitely not now, but I think he's got a lot of potential."

While Robert Whittaker believes that Marvin Vettori has the potential to work his way back into title contention, it sounds as if his best trait is his heart as opposed to his other skills. Vettori has yet to be finished in his mixed martial arts career, which speaks volumes to his 'zero quit' mentality.

Watch Robert Whittaker's full comments on The MMA Hour below:

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Robert Whittaker shares his thoughts on Israel Adesanya and Alex Pereira

Robert Whittaker has fought Israel Adesanya in the UFC twice, losing both times, once by knockout and once by unanimous decision. Following his UFC Paris victory, he was asked about his opinion on the UFC 281 main event between Adesanya and Alex Pereira.

Whittaker stated that he believes it will be difficult to dethrone the champion due to his style as a defensive striker. Adesanya has drawn criticism lately as his fights have been labeled boring, something the middleweight champion attributes to his greatness.

While fans may feel that Adesanya has become boring, he continues to rack up wins and should not change his style to please fans. For what it's worth, UFC President Dana White has guaranteed Adesanya's next fight at UFC 281 will be anything but boring.