Robert Whittaker appears to be at a crossroads in his middleweight profession. The previous champion recently revealed he’s currently sitting at 235 kilos and is seriously considering a jump to light heavyweight—a move that may represent a big shift for one in all combat sports’ most achieved strikers.
Rob Whittaker reveals he’s currently weighing around 235 lbs and is eyeing a move right down to light heavy weight:
“I would like to lock in. I would like to come back into the subsequent fight different. People have been watching my style for too long, and I feel it’s time for a change.
The last couple… pic.twitter.com/53QDVt6rhb
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) February 2, 2026
During recent comments, Whittaker expressed frustration with the toll that repeated weight cuts have taken on his body. “The last couple of cuts have been hard,” Whittaker explained, highlighting a reality that many elite fighters face as they age and their bodies change into less forgiving of the intense dehydration required for dramatic weight cuts.
Robert Whittaker when asked if he’s made up his mind to maneuver up a division: I might be convinced out of it…I just feel so weak at the top of the camp.
#HelwaniShow pic.twitter.com/0MHL7uxUND— Jed I. Goodman © (@jedigoodman) February 2, 2026
What makes Whittaker’s situation particularly interesting is his candid assessment of the middleweight division itself. Standing naturally around 235 kilos within the offseason, Whittaker identified that lots of his middleweight opponents tower over him regardless. “There’s not much difference going up—they’re taller than me anyway down in middleweight. I’m a giant guy,” he noted, suggesting that the dimensions drawback he’s faced at 185 kilos might actually improve if he competes at 205.
The motivation appears twofold: physiological relief and stylistic reinvention. Whittaker emphasized that he’s searching for a change after years of opponents studying and adapting to his technical approach. “I would like to lock in. I would like to come back into the subsequent fight different. People have been watching my style for too long, and I feel it is time for a change,” he stated.
Nonetheless, Whittaker hasn’t completely closed the door on remaining at middleweight. When asked directly about his commitment to the division jump, he admitted some hesitation rooted in a lingering concern: “I might be convinced out of it…I just feel so weak at the top of the camp.” This vulnerability reveals the mental and physical toll of his current weight-cutting routine, a struggle many fighters face late of their training camps.
A move to light heavyweight would place Whittaker in a division stuffed with legitimate contenders and perennial threats. At 235 kilos naturally, he’d be competitive at 205 kilos, though still potentially giving up size to some elite light heavyweights.
For now, Whittaker appears to be weighing his options—literally and figuratively. Whether he makes the jump could significantly impact the trajectory of his profession and the competitive landscape of each middleweight and light-weight heavyweight divisions.