Whittaker’s career was a speeding train headed for the status of legend, before being abruptly derailed by a couple of setbacks against champions like Israel Adesanya and Dricus Du Plessis. Yet as whispers grew louder among pundits that Whittaker’s career might be reaching an end, Australia’s UFC ‘O.G’ did what he’s always done – silenced the nay-sayers with a powerful return to form. 

Comebacks in the UFC are a daunting task fraught with challenges. Beyond the physical demands of elite-level competition, fighters must navigate a landscape of evolving contenders and strategic adaptations. While Whittaker didn’t necessarily step away from the fight game, he’s had to make some serious readjustments after losing the middleweight crown. 

Who is Whittaker fighting at UFC Fight Night?

This weekend, Whittakers takes on a fresh new face. The UFC’s inaugural event in Saudi Arabia was originally set to be headlined by Whittaker and Khamzat Chimaev, however, last week UFC CEO Dana White announced that Chimaev was out. Enter unranked middleweight Ikram Aliskerov, who bravely stepped up on just a week’s notice to replace him. 

Instagram | @ikram_aliskerov

Whittaker, coming off a dominant unanimous decision victory over Paulo Costa at UFC 298 in February, is looking to extend his winning streak against the up-and-coming Aliskerov. Despite only two UFC appearances since earning his contract on Dana White’s Contender Series, Aliskerov has already made a mark with impressive knockout victories over Phil Hawes and Warlley Alves. As both fighters prepare to clash in the Octagon, anticipation mounts for a showdown that promises to be nothing short of electrifying.

What is Robert Whittaker’s pre-fight?

Ask any fighter how much they weigh outside of fight camp and chances are they’re at-least another 10 to 15 kilos heavier. They can afford to consume those extra calories, often building muscle, or in the process of recovering from a bout. Whittaker has previously commented on his ‘walking weight’, which sits around the 97 to 99 kilo mark. However, come weigh-in days, that comfy mass needs to be stripped back to a lean 83 kilos, at most. 

Whittaker’s diet is always going to be clean. A devout fan of food, who loves his Japanese and Italian, pre-fight Whittaker takes on a more hardcore approach, following the ‘everything in moderation’ rule. At the same time, he doubles down on a large portion of greens every day and avoids sugar and fast foods. When he needs to strip the weight back, Whittaker cleans up his diet and begins to cut out foods like bread, focusing on healthier carbs like potatoes and rice. The protein department also gets a brief overhaul, with Whittaker shifting to white meat and fish and increasing his grain intake. 

How does Robert Whittaker train before a fight

Men’s Health spoke with Whittaker and his team in 2021 and got the gym workout rundown the ‘Reaper’ follows, a program drawn up by exercise physiologist Justin Lang at Live Athletic in Sydney. According to Lang, the progressive program combines flexibility, gymnastics and barbell strength training, and aims to build unrestricted movement while inoculating his charge against injury. 

1/ Squat

In a squat rack, place a barbell across your traps. Push your hips back and lower until your thighs are at least parallel to the floor. Pause, then push back up. Whittaker will typically do 5 “build-up” sets before completing 3 “work” sets of 5 reps.

2/ Pistol squat

Balance on your right foot, your left leg extended in front of you. Drop into a deep squat, then drive back up to a standing position. Whittaker will typically do 4 sets of 3-5 reps on each leg.

3/ Nordic hamstring curl

Kneel on the floor and anchor your feet under a loaded barbell or have a partner pin your feet to the floor. Keeping your torso straight, slowly lower your body as close to the ground as possible. Whittaker will do 4 sets of 5 reps.

4/ Weighted dips

Grab a pair of parallel dip bars, elbows slightly bent. Keeping your head up, lower until your upper arms are at least parallel to the ground. Pause, then drive back up. Whittaker will typically do 4 sets of 5 reps with 30kg strapped to his weight belt.

5/ Back extensions

Place your legs on a bench or box and anchor your feet. Lower your upper body as far as you can then raise your torso until your body is straight. Pause, then slowly lower. Whittaker will do 4 sets of 10 reps holding a 20kg plate to his chest.

6/ Hollow rocks

Lie face-up on the floor, your arms extended above your head. Engage your core and raise your arms and legs so your body describes a bow shape. Keeping your core switched on, rock back and forth. Whittaker will do 4 sets of one-minute rocks

How Whittaker wins against Ikram Aliskerov

Even though it might not be the blockbuster all-out war we were promised if Whittaker had faced off with Khamzat Chimaev, one of the most frightening fighters in the sport may we might add, Aliskerov still poses a formidable challenge for the Aussie. Like many Russian UFC fighters, Aliskerov is relentless. 

Instagram | @robwhittakermma

Whittaker though, practically invented that style of fighting. He’s tenacious in his approach. Expect Whittaker to keep the fight entirely on his terms with strong striking and building constant KO pressure on a fighter who has never faced an opponent of this calibre. If Whittaker is any chance to push for the belt one last time, he can’t afford any hiccups this weekend.

Where to watch UFC Fight Night: Whittaker vs Aliskerov?

Catch Whittakers fight bright and early on ESPN, Sunday, 23rd June, with the main card beginning at 5:00 am.

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If there’s ever a way to go out, it’s against the best, and his UFC 302 main-event opponent Islam Makhachev more than fits that description. A champion fighter, with a typical Dagestan approach to combat, Makhachev attacks his opponents in a nightmarish mix of wrestling and grappling.

Poirier’s task is to find a weaknesses in Makhachev’s game, a feat demonstrated previously by fighters like Alexander Volkanovski in their initial encounters with the Russian champion. However, this endeavour will demand an extraordinary effort from Poirier.

Assessing Poirier’s preparation for UFC 302 is a challenge in itself, as his training camp has been somewhat shrouded in secrecy. Nevertheless, glimpses of his readiness can be gleaned from past camps, such as his preparation to face Khabib Nurmagomedov. Interestingly, Nurmagomedov, now in Makhachev’s corner, adds another layer of intrigue to this weekend’s bout.

Dustin Poirier’s workout routine

Poirier’s preparation for Makhachev will no doubt be similar to the prep he put in against Nurmagomedov. Both Khabib and Islam fight the same way; they love to wrestle and suck the energy out of their opponent’s body. For them, it’s a simple fight when they keep it on the ground. Poirier’s cardio and conditioning will need to be in overdrive to prevent exactly that. 

For this fight, Poirier has been training out of his usual American Top Team gym, and if his approach is the same for Islam as it was for Khabib, he’ll have followed a six-day-a-week program, training twice a day, resting on Sunday. 

His Khabib prep involved dedicating Monday, Wednesday, and Friday to specific training for boxing, wrestling, and jiu-jitsu. Keeping up his high-paced training style, on those same days, Poirier would then follow his combat training with rounds of strength and conditioning in the evenings. Incorporating bodyweight exercises, primarily box jumps, flipping a tractor tyre, sled pushing with added weight, and resistance band training. 

Tuesdays and Thursdays were strictly reserved for rounds of groundwork in the morning and evening hard-sparring sessions that involved as much wrestling, kickboxing, and UFC-related training as possible. 

 

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Poirier’s training camp against Nurmagomedov had his coaches bringing in wrestlers from all over the world to help him prepare for what was a mauling, nonstop-pressure style of fight. Poirier’s fight against Islam this Sunday will no doubt have him following the same grinding training style, spending long hours escaping tight holds and keeping his standing balance to avoid that inevitable takedown. 

Poirier’s coach has spoken about how the workouts designed to combat Nurmagomedov were all about increasing core stability and strength, making sure his fighter was elusive inside the Octagon. It’s safe to say this approach will again be on display this Sunday. 

Poirier’s weight cutting diet

Poirier previously described an example daily meal plan during training camp in an interview with Men’s Journal. 

Breakfast 

• 1x cup of kale with eight egg whites
• Strawberries and blueberries
• Oatmeal

Post training snack

• Plant-based protein shake

Lunch

• 115g of chicken
• 115g of avocado
• Two handfuls of spinach
• Almonds

Second post-training snack

• Plant-based protein shake/fruit shake with berries and flaxseed oils. 

Can Dustin Poirier win? 

A clear underdog in all facets, Poirier’s heart is his best chance of a win. Keeping Islam at bay and defending all possible takedowns might open up a window to start throwing a flurry of strikes, bringing the fight into Poirier’s preferred tempo and control. 

How to watch the fight 

UFC 302 will be live in Australia, streaming on Sunday June 2 with the main card fights starting from 12 pm AEST. Catch all the action on main event pay-per-view Foxtel or Kayo Sports. 

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“I’m in a position where I keep challenging myself, so I want to do things that people haven’t done,” Volkanovski told MH while shooting Kia’s new instant-classic commercial announcing the company’s plans to release a ute, a few weeks out from the Topuria fight.

Featuring alongside Volkanovski in the commercial are a who’s who of Australian sporting icons, including former Australian cricket captain Steve Waugh and David Boon, Melbourne Cup winning jockey Damien Oliver, Australian soccer royalty John Aloisi and Mackenzie Arnold, AFL superstars Buddy Franklin and Dermott Brereton and NRL legends Darren Lockyer, Alfie Langer and Wendell Sailor. Volkanovski, who is still ranked no.1 in the UFC featherweight division and no.7 in the organisation’s pound-for-pound rankings, clearly belongs in such exalted company: he will likely go down as Australia’s greatest ever fighter.

It’s the 35-year-old’s constant thirst for a challenge that saw him agree to step up to lightweight to take on Islam Makhachev on 11 days’ notice at UFC 294 last October. He would lose in a first-round knockout but refuses to let the loss, or his recent defeat against Topuria, define him.

“I mean that loss [against Makhachev] definitely hurt me, but I look at it as a part of my story,” he says.

Volkanovski on set during filming of Kia’s recent commercial announcing the company’s upcoming release of a ute – Kia.

Until his loss to Topuria, the Wollongong fighter was undefeated at featherweight, a remarkable feat for the former rugby league player, who has spent much of his career being underestimated but generally chosen to lean into his underdog status. Despite the heights he’s reached, Volkanovski remains humble.

“I’m still just from the small town where I live,” he says. “I go home. I’m doing crazy things with movie stars or hanging out with Zuckerberg and then I go back home. As soon as I’m home, I’m dad. I just try and be the best father I can be, and then I’m back in the gym the next week. So that keeps me grounded, which I’m very thankful for. I still feel like that same guy that I was 10 years ago, so that’s why I’m always in the gym trying to get better, trying to do what needs to be done to keep myself in this position. Don’t get me wrong, I know where I’m at, but I don’t let that get to me.”

And while, there was a lot of talk about Volkanovski’s age in the lead-up to the Topuria fight, something the fighter played up to by dressing as an old man in his pre-fight promotions, he insists he remains as hungry as ever.

Volkanovski and Steve Waugh on set – Kia

“I’m probably more committed to the sport now than I was eight years ago,” he says. “I’m more passionate about it now. I’m in the gym as soon as the session’s finished. I’m probably boring my training partners with techniques because I’m just constantly getting into the details. That’s just how passionate I still am about it.”

Indeed, if you had to compare the Wollongong workhorse to a car, it would surely be a ute.

“That’s my look,” he agrees. “Hard-working. If anyone was ever going to sponsor a fighter, it’s going to be a company that has a Ute, that’s for sure.”

So, where would he take a Kia ute on a first drive? “I mean, it’s perfect timing. I’m getting a boat, as we speak, so I need a ute. I’ve got a caravan, so I’d go camping. I’m taking the family on a little holiday. What better than a ute to do that?”

Related:

Alex Volkanovski: how the underdog became one of the GOATs

Tennis, motoring and a touch of the sublime

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Pedro currently holds a professional record of ten wins and four losses; the big plus for the Aussie is that he has a 100 per cent finish rate, meaning if you are up against him in the Octagon, you need to be mindful that he’s always hunting for that lights-out strike or submission.

This weekend will be the fighter’s biggest UFC bout yet, and we’re here to break it all down for you.

Tyson Pedro’s run with injury

The 32-year-old is looking to continue fanning the flame of his UFC career after a stuttering start due to injury. In his sixth UFC fight, Pedro ruptured his ACL against former light heavyweight champion Mauricio “Shogun” Rua in late 2018 forcing him into surgery. Then, when Pedro was geared and ready for an almighty return 14 months later, two meniscus tears and a second ACL surgery would again prolong the fighter’s time away from the Octagon.

The shift in the light heavyweight division

Pedro’s period on the sidelines saw the light-heavyweight division undergo a much-needed landscape shift. In 2018, the light heavyweight division was a dying one, a stagnant ranking monopolised by Jon Jones, a UFC legend and arguably the sport’s greatest of all time. Jones dominated the division, creating a dead end for many fighters. 

Now, the division is one of the most exciting in the UFC. Fans only need to take a peek at the current top 15 to see names like Johnny Walker, Jan Blachowicz, Jiří Procházka, Jamahal Hill, and sitting pretty at the top, the menacing fan favourite, light heavyweight champion, Alex Pereira. With a quality roster full of hungry fighters, it makes sense that Pedro injected himself back into the weight division with a point to prove. The Aussie has gone 3-1 since his long-awaited return in 2022.

Confident his well-rounded skill set can take him to the top, Pedro believes he is a more cerebral fighter and a much more frightening and talented mixed martial artist than the one who first walked into the Octagon back in 2016. 

Instagram | @tyson_pedro

Pedro’s opponent

With momentum behind him after a stellar win in Sydney at UFC 293, Pedro comes up against another formidable opponent, Vitor Petrino. An undefeated Brazilian who shapes to be Pedro’s most brutal fight yet.

Petrino is a rising star in the world of mixed martial arts. Hailing from Brazil, he has already made significant strides in his career, thanks to his impressive performances in different promotions. He made his professional debut on May 3, 2019, against Rodolfo Bellato at MF: Max Fight 22, and he won the fight in the first round with a TKO. Petrino has continued to dominate his opponents since then, with clinical performances in all his fights. As he takes the next step in his career, Petrino comes face to face against Pedro in a highly anticipated light-heavyweight showdown.

Instagram | @vitorpetrino

This fight is expected to be a gut check for Petrino, known for his offensive wrestling skills. Pedro, though he’s coming into the fight as the underdog, should provide a stern test for the undefeated Brazilian.

This weekend’s showdown

If you go by the numbers, Pedro is the bigger man, slightly taller, and has a longer reach. And If you want to call Pedro’s six plus years of experience an advantage, then Pedro has that, too. 

The fact that Pedro’s fighting this weekend is down to his perseverance. Taking the battle deep and avoiding a take down have to be the Aussie’s priorities. We know Petrino is a magician on the ground, but don’t be fooled, Pedro can grapple, notching up two UFC submission finishes to his name. Look for Pedro to use his reach, jabbing the Brazilian to keep the distance. Petrino has the boxing capabilities to trade blows with Pedro, and the knockout power too, with seven of his 10 wins by knockout. The Australian will have to bide his time, dictating the pace, waiting for the perfect moment to let his right hand go, the same way he stalked down Anton Turkalj in his recent TKO win in Sydney. There the Aussie used his quick striking to stun Turkalj before unleashing his power punching.

The Australian is incredibly resilient; he doesn’t mind the figurative ‘scrap’, thriving in back-against-the-wall moments. What else can we say? He’s got the grit and the desire to win. Let the odds and bookmakers say what they want about Pedro. Because a hungry underdog, one with the skillset and fright of Tyson Pedro, is no underdog; he’s a straight-up animal.

Tyson Pedro v Vitor Petrino at UFC Fight Night takes place this Sunday, March 3, with the main card starting bright and early at 8am.

Tyson Pedro’s MMA beach workout

Pedro uses this workout to build the total-body strength and stamina required to go five rounds in the Octagon. Use it to fortify your physique.

 

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>Shadow boxing 5 minutes

>Push-ups x 25

>Sit outs x 10

>Head flips x 5

>Squats x 20

>Head rolls x 10

>Double leg shots x 10 each side

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