Robert Whittaker refrains from addressing speculations surrounding a potential significant injury he might have been grappling with before his UFC 290 bout against Dricus Du Plessis.
In a recent conversation on ‘DC’s’ YouTube channel, Ben Askren and Daniel Cormier mentioned hearing about Whittaker possibly having a serious ankle injury ahead of the fight.
Despite this, Whittaker chooses not to confirm the veracity of such claims. However, he does acknowledge his dissatisfaction with the training camp leading up to his clash with Du Plessis.
“I’m not going to delve into it; no fighter enters a fight at full capacity. Overall, I wasn’t particularly content with the camp and the preparation preceding it; it wasn’t optimal for me. It’s easy to scrutinize these things in hindsight,” said Robert Whittaker in an interview with BJPENN.com on Tuesday.
Asked about the shortcomings in the training camp, Whittaker attributes it to his approach. Nonetheless, he expresses confidence in his current state of preparedness after identifying the missteps from his training camp for Dricus Du Plessis.
“Just the approach I took. I aimed to concentrate on different aspects, drawing from the previous camp and integrating them into this one,” Whittaker remarked. “I’m content with the outcome now. The camp is essentially concluded, just fine-tuning this week. I’m pleased with where I stand and the form I’m bringing into the Costa fight.”
Despite his defeat to Dricus Du Plessis, Whittaker remains convinced of his ability to best the South African and eagerly anticipates a potential rematch.
“The main lesson from that bout is perhaps I underestimated him, maybe I wasn’t fully prepared for the style of fight he would bring… Dricus is on the list of rematches I desire. I firmly believe I can defeat him nine times out of ten; it was simply his night. The fact that he holds the title will make the victory all the more gratifying,” Whittaker emphasized.
“In that bout against Dricus, I feel like I didn’t showcase my capabilities; I wasn’t operating at my full potential,” Whittaker reflected. “I don’t intend to detract from Dricus’s achievement; he showed up and emerged victorious, and that’s what counts. However, deep down, I’m eager to have another go at it. I have something to prove.”
Before securing a rematch with Du Plessis, Whittaker must first overcome Paulo Costa at UFC 298 in Anaheim next weekend.
