Media Robert Whittaker Says "He'd Beat Dricus Du Plessis 9 Times out of 10" and He's "Just A Better Fighter Than He Is"

[Pancake Sprawl]

i think Rob can beat DDP, but he has to go back to his old style and not this point fighting style. the way he fights now is why he lost. he gave too much time for DDP to read him and every blitz he did wasn't effective against DDP's high guard. he needs to go back to how he was fighting Yoel and Brunson and them. attack him and make DDP work. we already know he's not going to gas if you let him dictate the pace because of how the Strickland fight went. but if you push him he can gas, and that's when Rob's quickness and volume can get to him in exchanges.

 

[fortheo]

I kinda agree. Maybe not 9 times out of 10 but if they rematched I'd favor Whittaker.

He couldn't even beat an injured foot version of DDP, and DDP is entering his prime while whittaker, sadly, is due to be exiting his sooner than later. In a 5 rounder, i'd favor DDP more often than not, with his chances only improving as time goes on.

 

[Question]

Well he's gonna be confident in his skills, every fighter should be.
Don't know many fighters who would write themselves off in a fight just because they previously lost to a guy.

Rob being nice is a facade. He often says contradictory delusional stuff.

DDP figured Rob out. Nothing Rob did was getting through.

What did he say here that's makes you think that?

Well usually he'd say something along the lines of "He was the better fighter that night, but ill be better next time" or at least the usual nice guy answer is his MO.

He actually said something bold this time.

Tbf he's already said that a few times about the DDP fight(he even gives him credit here) and I don't fault him for what he said here, most fighters have to think like that to succeed.
However.. and he this is the second time I think I've heard him say it, but the underestimated DDP's hunger talk is bit weird I guess.

If that's his thought process then that's fine, that being said DDP is clearly a tough guy to deter in there and this has been shown multiple times way before the his fight against Rob so if what he's saying about underestimating that part of DDP prior to their fight then that wasn't really bright on Rob's part IMO.

 

[richardjohnson]

Well the one time they did fight he got beat up

 

[Question]

He couldn't even beat an injured foot version of DDP, and DDP is entering his prime while whittaker, sadly, is due to be exiting his sooner than later. In a 5 rounder, i'd favor DDP more often than not, with his chances only improving as time goes on.

Rob was injured too or had a rough camp(according to him after he was about the rumors from Askren), but tbh 90% of guys go into fights injured anyways.

I think DDP just did his homework on Rob in all fairness.
Used the stuff Izzy and Cannonier(who has similarities to the way DDP fights) that worked against Rob and implemented it into his own style, the switching stances fucked with him heavily there and once DDP started applying his jab more often after he got up from Rob's takedown was where things began going in his favor.

 

[fortheo]

Rob was injured too or had a rough camp(according to him after he was about the rumors from Askren), but tbh 90% of guys go into fights injured anyways.

I think DDP just did his homework on Rob in all fairness.
Used the stuff Izzy and Cannonier(who has similarities to the way DDP fights) that worked against Rob and implemented it into his own style, the switching stances fucked with him heavily there and once DDP started applying his jab more often after he got up from Rob's takedown was where things began going in his favor.

Even ignoring the injury part of what I said, I just feel like Rob is in the twilight of his prime where as DDP is at the dawn of his. With that in mind, and with how the first fight played out, I just can't understand favoring rob in a rematch. I can see rob beating dricus -- it's plausible -- I just don't see the reasons to believe that it would happen more often than not at this point.

 

[HatKick]

I agree Whittaker is better but his chin is too fragile. DDP's relentless pressure over 5 rounds is likely to result in a TKO or at least a knockdown or two.
Rob's top notch defense makes up for his durability issues against most opponents but it's not enough against DDP. Everyone who fights DDP has to eat some bombs and I don't think he can.

 

[Question]

Even ignoring the injury part of what I said, I just feel like Rob is in the twilight of his prime where as DDP is at the dawn of his. With that in mind, and with how the first fight played out, I just can't understand favoring rob in a rematch. I can see rob beating dricus -- it's plausible -- I just don't see the reasons to believe that it would happen more often than not at this point.

I don't see it either, not as of now. For if Rob is out of his prime, I don't think there's enough info for that yet.
Next fight will be very telling for him tho.

And for a DDP rematch I'd like to Whittaker at the minimum get two to three wins if he can(two could work depending on who he beats), they just fought not long ago and I'd like to see more fresh matchups if possible.

 

[KOPPE]

Rob being nice is a facade. He often says contradictory delusional stuff.

DDP figured Rob out. Nothing Rob did was getting through.

One of the biggest fake nice along with Max and Chandler

 

[Kindjal]

Rob is 33 now so arguably a bit passed his absolute peak which I think was from 2020 to 2022 - the Darren Till fight to the Marvin Vettori fight in which he went 4 wins vs 1 loss . The loss being in the rematch vs Adesanya in a well fought bout but losing by decision .

I just don't think he beats Dricus ever who is 3 years younger with less fights and just has more in the tank and probably more desire. Styles make fights and Rob relies more on finesse than brutal clubbing power that Dricus has . Dricus has that pressure style that gets to fighters and Rob is just out-gunned by the power and the better chin Dricus has .

Still he has had a great career and fought for the Middleweight belt twice against Adesanya. I would have advised retirement after the most recent loss but looks like he will be fighting Costa in a few weeks.

 

[CatchtheseHands]

Rob is on the decline and DDP hasn't peaked yet. I highly doubt Rob beats him 9/10 times anymore at this point in his career.

 

[dogsdonutsdragons]

dpp fights in a way that probably makes you feel like if you were on you wouldn't lose to him but then you have your best night against him and it still looks the same. Dpps crazy pressure throw shit at the wall until it sticks style backed with his cardio and durability is a hard fight for anyone. i wouldnt pick anyone to beat him 9/10 times.

 

[Joshuaace]

what's he supposed to say?

He got me and I'd like to get that one back, maybe even have a rubber match down the road.

 

[Chubi]

I'm a big Rob fan, but he's wrong. In the first fight, Whittaker had nothing for him, his blitz were not working and we could see DDP was not worried about Rob's power at all, when Dricus knocked him down quite fast when he had him.
If the blitz don't work, there's still the grappling, and we know now that Dricus is strong in that aspect too.

If Rob wants to win a rematch, he HAS to sit on his punches to hurt DDP and make hesitant, otherwise he's going to get steamrolled.

 

[melvinj0]

Definitely wouldnt write him off in a rematch. There really isn’t anyone in the UFC Mw division imo that Whittaker wouldn’t have a chance against.

Really pulling for Whittaker Vs Strickland, would be interesting to see Strickland fans come up with excuses why Strickland got completely outboxed for 5 rounds.

 

[melvinj0]

I'm a big Rob fan, but he's wrong. In the first fight, Whittaker had nothing for him, his blitz were not working and we could see DDP was not worried about Rob's power at all, when Dricus knocked him down quite fast when he had him.
If the blitz don't work, there's still the grappling, and we know now that Dricus is strong in that aspect too.

If Rob wants to win a rematch, he HAS to sit on his punches to hurt DDP and make hesitant, otherwise he's going to get steamrolled.

DDP seems like that guy that you watch tape on and arelike “this is gonna be a cake walk” then it’s an entirely different ball game when you are in there with him.

Really interested to see how it goes once DDP starts rematching some of these guys.

 

[Emjay]

Starting to sound a little Frankie Edgar-ish.

Watch out for flying knees Bobby.

 

[KillerIsBack V2]

Whittaker was winning the first 4 min of the 1st round before he got taken down, and was winning the 2nd round until he got clipped.

It's strange how so many believe he had nothing for DDP.

That makes DDP’s performance even more inpressive.

Whittaker accomplished all these wrestlimg credentials WHILE competing in the UFC and defending his belt.


I just found out DDP competed in a grappling tournament and submitted all 5 members of Gracie Barra team. He’a not even a blue belt, Rob has a blackbelt in bjj.

Well usually he'd say something along the lines of "He was the better fighter that night, but ill be better next time" or at least the usual nice guy answer is his MO.

He actually said something bold this time.

True, first time I see Rob express his inner salt.

 

[Fact Checker]

Fake nice guy and point fighter was chased and beat down by DDP… it wasn’t close. Nothing in their fight indicates Whit had a chance.


He’s almost as delusional as the time he thought he beat Izzy in the rematch solely being in survival mode for 5 rounds… dudes a mess.

 

[Rio Ferdinand]

Maybe the Whittaker from 5 years ago. But this version of Bobby knuckles is missing his chin. Adesanya did a number on him and I don’t think he really recovered.