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Robert Whittaker has received a pound-for-pound boost in the UFC rankings after his spectacular performance at UFC Vegas 24.
Former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker is now ranked No. 11 in the UFC men’s pound-for-pound rankings.
Robert Whittaker moved up the UFC men’s pound-for-pound rankings after UFC Vegas 24
Heading into his UFC Vegas 24 matchup against Kelvin Gastelum, Robert Whittaker was ranked No. 13 in the UFC men’s pound-for-pound rankings. The fight was a pivotal one for both talented young middleweights, and come fight night, neither competitor ceased to amaze.
The five-round middleweight bout between Robert Whittaker and Kelvin Gastelum earned both fighters widespread praise from the MMA community. Whittaker dominated the fight, out-working Gastelum in every aspect.
However, Gastelum once again reminded the world of his legendary toughness. Gastelum was a threat until the very end, as he constantly tried to close the distance and utilize his vaunted KO power at boxing range.
Regardless, The Reaper successfully avoided Gastelum’s strikes at boxing range and used his jab, 1-2, and 1-2, followed by his roundhouse kick to keep chipping away at Gastelum. Their fight went the distance, and all three judges scored it 50-45 in favor of Robert Whittaker, awarding him the victory via unanimous decision.
In the aftermath of his big win over Kelvin Gastelum, Robert Whittaker has moved up two spots in the UFC men’s pound-for-pound rankings. Whittaker has moved from No. 13 to No. 11 in the UFC men’s pound-for-pound rankings.
On the other hand, former UFC bantamweight champion Petr Yan and former interim UFC lightweight champion Justin Gaethje dropped down one spot in the rankings. Yan and Gaethje were tied, holding the same position in the UFC men’s pound-for-pound rankings before UFC Vegas 24.
After Robert Whittaker’s move up the rankings, Yan and Gaethje – who were both at No. 11 in the UFC men’s pound-for-pound rankings – are both now at No. 12.
Furthermore, another change in the overall UFC rankings came in the heavyweight division. Blagoy Ivanov moved up one spot, whereas Marcin Tybura moved down one spot. Ivanov is now No. 11 and Tybura is No. 12 in the UFC heavyweight rankings.
Robert Whittaker aims to reclaim UFC gold by avenging his loss against The Last Stylebender
Robert Whittaker dropped the UFC middleweight title at UFC 243 in October 2019. Whittaker was beaten by Israel Adesanya via second-round KO. Adesanya thereby claimed the title and has reigned as the division’s champion to this date.
In the ensuing months, Robert Whittaker racked up wins over fellow top-tier middleweights such as Darren Till, Jared Cannonier, and Kelvin Gastelum. Presently, the vast majority of MMA fans and experts believe that a rematch between The Reaper and The Last Stylebender could be on the horizon.
Following his win over Kelvin Gastelum at UFC Vegas 24 (April 17th, 2021), Robert Whittaker suggested that it’s about time he and Israel Adesanya crossed paths again. Whittaker stated –
"Right now it's about respect. Obviously, (Israel Adesanya is) a great fighter but I think we should talk, mate. I think it's about time we cross paths once again. I think we can get a sold out stadium. They might even open up the borders for Australia in September. Let's make that happen.”
Would you like to see a rematch between Robert Whittaker and Israel Adesanya? Sound off in the comments.
