Georges St-Pierre said he believes Whittaker has the ability to “make Chimaev look bad” at UFC Saudi Arabia.
Former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker (25-7 MMA) will take on undefeated Khamzat Chimaev (13-0 MMA) in the main event of UFC Saudi Arabia on June 22nd in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. was announced.
Chimaev, 29, last fought last October at UFC 294, when he faced former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman (20-4 MMA), defeating him by majority decision.
Whittaker, 33, defeated Paulo Costa (14-3 MMA) at UFC 298 in February of this year.
Now, Georges-St-Pierre knows that if anyone can stop Boltz — it's Whittaker — it won't be an easy fight.
In an interview with Fox Sports Australia, St-Pierre shared his thoughts on Whittaker vs. Chimaev:
“Well, if there's a player who can stop Chimaev, it's Robert Whittaker. Because if you look at Chimaev, he has characteristics that in some ways can be compared to Yoel Romero. Romero was a very good wrestler, very explosive, a strong guy, and Whittaker was Yoel Romero's kryptonite. I mean, stylistically, he was able to beat him twice. , he is very capable of doing the same thing with Chimaev and making Chimaev look bad. Robert Whittaker has a very unusual style. He comes from the same karate background as me.
Georges St-Pierre, a former three-time UFC welterweight champion himself, went on to say (h/t MMAJunkie):
“We also have a background in karate, and the styles are completely different. Most of the fighters in the mixed martial arts world come from kickboxing and Muay Thai, so we have different timings for delivering blitzes and different ways to control distance. I use karate, which seems like a very unusual thing for my opponents. So I think one of the things that gives Robert Whittaker a certain advantage is that he comes from a karate background. He uses all his skills very well. His footwork and distance control are masterful.”
Finally, the Canadian said:
“Chimaev is no joke and looks unstoppable at the moment so he’s going to have to be on his A game.”
What do you think about Georges St-Pierre's comments about the upcoming Chimaev vs. Whittaker fight? Who would you bet on to win?
Please share your thoughts in the comments section. PENN Nation!
