Robert Whittaker: Beating Khamzat Chimaev will prove 'I am the best middleweight in the world'

Robert Whittaker will look to cement himself as the top middleweight at UFC 308.

Whittaker (26-7 MMA, 17-5 UFC) takes on Khamzat Chimaev (13-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC) on Oct. 26 at UFC 308 (pay-per-view, ESPN, ESPN+) from Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. Whittaker knows Chimaev will test his grappling, and he has been training hard for that. However, this isn’t the first time Whittaker has prepped for a strong grappler as he fought and beat Yoel Romero twice and Ronaldo Souza.

If he can hand Chimaev the first loss of his career, Whittaker thinks that will separate him from the pack at 185 pounds.

“You can bet your bottom dollar that I am training like an animal right now on the mats,” Whittaker said on his “MMArcade Podcast.” “I am sweating and bleeding and leaving it all there in preparation for this fight, and I’m coming into this fight to leave it all there.

“I don’t expect him to get tired or anything else. I expect him to come out aggressive and to be super scary in the wrestling and be very strong. I just think I’ve been in those waters before. I know how to tread. I’m good in there. I am the best middleweight in the world. Beating him will prove that, and I look forward to it.”

Whittaker’s lone losses at middleweight have come to former champion Israel Adesanya and current champ Dricus Du Plessis.