“Might be making a mistake” – UFC legend split on Robert Whittaker vs. Khamzat Chimaev matchup

Chael Sonnen seems to be uncertain about the outcome of the upcoming Robert Whittaker vs. Khamzat Chimaev fight.

Last week, Dana White surprised fans by announcing that ‘Borz’ will be making his comeback to the octagon at UFC on ABC 6 on June 22. The highly anticipated fight will take place at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and will feature Whittaker as his opponent.

The UFC CEO has additionally verified that the upcoming match will determine the No.1 contender, with the victorious fighter anticipated to challenge Dricus du Plessis for the middleweight championship.

With the announcement of their fight, fans and fighters alike have begun making their predictions for the much-anticipated matchup.

It seems to be widely agreed that Chimaev will have the upper hand in the beginning of the fight with his aggressive wrestling, but as the fight progresses, Whittaker’s endurance gives him the advantage.

Chael Sonnen chimed in on the fight, seemingly disagreeing with the aforementioned viewpoint. According to ‘The American Gangster’, Whittaker would be making a “mistake”if he enters the fight with the belief that he can tire out Chimaev. Sonnen elaborated:

“Exhaustion makes a coward out of all men…Generally anybody that gets tired or exhaused it’s because they wilt. We haven’t seen that with Chimaev and I was surprised [that people believe Chimaev wilts]… I think somebody [Whittaker] might be making a mistake if that within their gameplan they believe they can put a pressure on him [Chimaev] and get him to back down.”

Watch Sonnen’s remarks on the Khamzat Chimaev vs. Robert Whittaker fight at the time stamp 9:51.

Robert Whittaker determined to shatter Khamzat Chimaev’s unwavering self-belief

Robert Whittaker is eager to step into the octagon and challenge himself against the seemingly invincible Khamzat Chimaev.

Despite having recently defeated Kamaru Usman, ‘The Reaper,’ Whittaker is still viewed as the most difficult opponent Chimaev has faced in his career. This is due to Whittaker’s natural middleweight capabilities and past experience as the division’s champion.

Whittaker, a seasoned fighter, is eager to return to the lion’s den with the addition of Chimaev to the list of formidable opponents he has faced throughout his career.

During a recent interview with Demetrious Johnson, Whittaker reiterated his enthusiasm for the upcoming fight. ‘The Reaper’ is confident that he will be the first opponent to truly test Chimaev’s abilities and see what he is capable of. Whittaker stated:

“He knows what he does well. He goes in there with undoubted confidence in what he can do. That makes a very dangerous recipe. But it also, if he gets shaken, you don’t know what way the cards are going to fall. So I’m looking forward to testing that. To see how big the hype it is, if you would.”

Watch Whittaker’s remarks on Khamzat Chimaev at this timestamp (8:01):