Former UFC middleweight titlist Robert Whittaker has shot down false rumors about his absence in the Octagon.
After losing the 185-pound championship to Israel Adesanya last October, the Australian fighter was booked for the UFC 248 card against the streaking Jared Cannonier but eventually withdrew from the fight due to personal reasons.
According to multiple reports, Whittaker was set to donate his bone marrow to his sick daughter, a move that earned the praises of MMA community including UFC president Dana White, who called it ‘the most unselfish thing I’ve seen in my life.”
White added: “He’s a good man, he’s a good human being, and I have a lot of respect for him. Good luck to him in what he’s dealing with right now. I can’t put into words and articulate how I feel about Robert Whittaker. He’s the real deal, man.”
Realization
“Bobby Knuckles” is now expected to make his MMA return this summer as the promotion is targeting a middleweight clash between him and Darren Till.
Ahead of his potential comeback, Whittaker spoke to The Daily Telegraph and explained the real reason behind his absence in the Octagon.
“I have no idea where that came from,” the former middleweight champ said of the rumors.
“During the break, I got off all social media to spend time with family, so it was my old man who actually contacted me, explaining there was this crazy rumor going around, and from there, it just got a life of its own.”
“But my kids were all fine. They are fine. It was me who had the issue.”
Whittaker shared it was on Christmas Day when he realized there was something missing in his life.
“I just stopped. Then (I) stood there, asking, ‘What the (expletive) am I doing?’ It was Christmas Day. My family was somewhere else. That moment, it’s when everything crashed.”
Drained
True enough, the past three years have been physically and mentally exhausting for the Australian after doing three title fights and battling health issues.
“I sacrificed everything,” Whittaker said.
“My team suggested several plans which I took to and, because it worked, I just kept at it. But you can’t keep doing that forever, you just can’t. Worse than the physical grind, too, was the mental drain. I just wasn’t home.”
He added: “I just wasn’t myself. That’s the game though, you rock up and fight, but I know I can perform much better, and have performed much better.”
“Not having those sessions, it means I can do things Saturday night too.”
“Same as I’m now playing with the kids late into Sunday afternoon rather than being completely spent. The changes I’ve made, it really will change my life. Not training to exhaustion every day, I guess you can say I’m living.”
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(Featured Image Source: Instagram/ Robert Whittaker)