Whittaker responds to Gastelum damage claim
Robert Whittaker: “I’d like to think that I’m one of the few guys who hasn’t been in a lot of wars. I haven’t been hit that much.”
UFC middleweight Robert Whittaker and Kelvin Gastelum are opposing coaches on The Ultimate Fighter 28 and will fight at the end of the year. Both won a TUF series, and both found success when they moved up from welterweight to a more natural middleweight. However, during an interview last month, Gastelum said one difference between the pair was damage – he argued that Whittaker has been in too many tough fights, and that the latest, vs. Yoel Romero, may mark a turning point for the Australian.
During a recent media day, Whittaker disagreed.
I’d like to think that I’m one of the few guys who hasn’t been in a lot of wars,” said Whittaker, as transcribed by Dave Doyle for MMA Fighting. I haven’t been hit that much. My last couple fights have been pretty hard, but look at the opponents and the caliber I’m going up against. I think he’s telling himself that to make himself feel better. Because there are some bad guys out there that couldn’t put me away, that couldn’t touch me, and I walked through them.
To be honest, on the show … me and him, we stayed on each other, we were very civil, he was very respectful to me, and after that I showed that back to him. You show respect to me and I give respect to you. It wasn’t fun being around an opponent that whole amount of time, especially when you’re going to fight him eventually, but it is what it is.
