Whittaker (27-9) has a new range of opponents available after
moving up to light heavyweight. “The Reaper†is eyeing fellow
former
Ultimate Fighting Championship champion Magomed
Ankalaev, who defeated Bogdan
Guskov at
UFC Abu Dhabi last month.

Robert Whittaker discusses Magomed Ankalaev, Paulo Costa and
UFC light heavyweight matchups

While Whittaker admits Guskov would have been an exciting opponent
as well, he also would have been interested in Jan
Blachowicz if not for the Polish 205-pounder's loss to Navajo
Stirling at
UFC Belgrade. While Paulo Costa
has momentum behind him, Whittaker would rather fight others,
having already beaten “Borrachinha†in a middleweight bout in
2024.

Whittaker also clarified that he will not fight his teammates
Stirling and Carlos
Ulberg, the current champion.

“I'd love to get in there with like Ank. Jan just had a loss but
would've loved to have jumped in there with him,†Whittaker said on
the “Believe You Me†podcast. “Bogdan would've been great; anyone
up. People keep throwing the name Costa out there, but I've fought
him before; there's a lot of other guys out there. I won't fight
the boys that I train with. If we reach a point where we're 1, 2
and 3, with me, Carlos and now Nav, I'm sure we can all sit down
and find a way to get paid.â€

Stirling also recently dismissed the idea of fighting Ulberg and
Whittaker, highlighting the camaraderie they share at
City Kickboxing in Auckland, New Zealand.

Whittaker recently moved up to light heavyweight after back-to-back
losses at middleweight. The Australian overcame early adversity to
knock out Nikita
Krylov at
UFC 329.

justin_gaethje on Instagram

UFC champion Islam Makhachev has given his thoughts on the future of the new lightweight king Justin Gaethje.

At UFC Freedom 250, Justin Gaethje shocked the world and became the new undisputed UFC lightweight champion. He achieved this goal by forcing Ilia Topuria to quit on the stool, capping off what has been an incredible rollercoaster ride to the top of the division across the last ten years.

RELATED: Justin Gaethje says Arman Tsarukyan is far more deserving of title shot than Ilia Topuria: “He's not fighting me nextâ€

Now, many are questioning what exactly is left for Gaethje to accomplish in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Some want to see him compete for as long as he physically can, whereas others feel like retirement would be a solid option given the punishment he has put his body through over the years.

In a recent interview, Islam Makhachev weighed in on the Gaethje debate.

Makhachev discusses Gaethje's future

“I don't know. I think this guy make like enough in this sport,†Makhachev told MMA Junkie of Gaethje. “He became UFC champion. He also has many records. What's next for him? If I'm matchmaker, I don't know honestly. But this guy is not in good shape right now. I saw him last week. I said, ‘Hey, why you become fat?' He's just enjoying the belt. He deserves it.â€

“I said before that fight, Justin is a warrior,†Makhachev said. “He's going to fight. You have to knock him out to stop him. This guy is going to fight all rounds. Maybe Topuria a little bit underestimated him. I don't know. It is what it is. This is MMA, small gloves, and very dangerous sport.â€

Quotes via MMA Junkie

What do you believe should be next for Justin Gaethje in his mixed martial arts career? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below, BJPENN Nation!

This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM

Ultimate Fighting Championship only after he fights for the
170-pound title.

Prates (24-7) recently addressed call-outs from fellow contenders
Sean
Brady and Uros Medic.
“The Nightmare†assured fans that he will take them on once he has
fought for the belt in his next bout.

Carlos Prates addresses Sean Brady, Uros Medic and his UFC
welterweight championship plans

Prates is also confident that he will win the welterweight title in
his next outing. He tagged Brady and Medic in a recent Instagram
post, vowing to take them on once he becomes champion.

“A lot of you guys [Sean Brady], [Uros Medic], and the other
welterweights have been mentioning my name,†Prates wrote on
Instagram. “Calm down, brothers. In my next fight, I'm taking that
belt. After that, I'll deal with all of you and take you straight
to the Kingdom of Pain. Be ready. Nothing personal, just
business.â€

Prates has finished all seven of his UFC wins and has only dropped
a decision to Ian Garry,
who fights for the title next at UFC
330. The Brazilian established himself as a leading contender
for the championship with a stoppage win over Jack
Della Maddalena in May, while the undefeated Michael
Morales is also in the title mix.

Furthermore, reigning welterweight champion Islam
Makhachev has also welcomed a fight against Prates.