Yoel Romero vann sin interimtitelmatch förra februari på UFC 221 genom att brutalt knocka Luke Rockhold. Själva bältet utblev dock då kubanen missade vikten med runda 1,5 kg. Interimbälte eller inte så gav vinsten honom istället en riktigt titelchans mot Robert Whittaker på kommande UFC 225.
Whittaker tänker dock inte gå matchen om Romero missar vikten igen. Till Submission Radio sa han följande om sin rematch med kubanen.
I don’t think Rockhold should have taken that fight. He had nothing to gain from it once Romero didn’t make weight,
But it is what it is. He’s a fighter first and foremost, he still fought, he saved the card and props to him.
I don’t understand anyone who takes fights when their opponent doesn’t make weight,
Whittaker fortsätter i intervjun att belysa sina tankar om vikt och Romero.
It’s like, if you rock up at 87 kilos, which is what Romero did – It was like 86 kilos or something like that – then why don’t I rock up at 95 (kgs)? What’s the difference? We’re both not making weight, we’re both not professional enough to do it, you know?
And the weight cut is directly influential to the fight itself. I think not making weight is the most unprofessional thing you can do. It’s as bad as just not showing up for the fight itself,
So, if you don’t make weight, I’m not fighting you. I’ll give the shot to someone else who can make the weight, who can do their freaking job.
Whittaker tror också att han har förbättrats mer än vad Romero gjort sen deras förra match och att han nu kommer kunna avsluta matchen.
I think it will be the exact same fight. Yoel can’t fight me any other way. The only thing that will be different is that I’ll be better,
I felt him out, so I’m gonna work on certain things that I know is going to stump him. I don’t think he’s at a point where he can make drastic changes. I don’t think he can change anything that will really make an impact for this next fight.
UFC 225 kommer gå i Chicago den 9e juni i sommar.
