Whittaker called his upcoming fight with Chimaev a contender's bout

Robert Whittaker, former UFC middleweight champion, has spoken extensively about his upcoming bout with Hamzat Chimaev.

"This will be a challenger fight, a five-round main event. I understand the task in front of us. It's not going to be easy, but I'm going to give my best in training camp. I'm looking forward to this fight. It's great that I haven't had any injuries since the last fight. My body's good. I'm ready. I'm in great shape for another tough fight. I'm looking forward to it. Every tough fight takes my skills to the next level and moves me up in line to get the belt back. What else could be the goal?" - Whittaker said on the MMArcade Podcast.