Former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker has joined the chorus defending Khamzat Chimaev’s dominant wrestling performance against Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 319. He delivered a blunt assessment of critics who found the title bout uninteresting in a recent podcast episode.
“Anyone who thinks that fight was boring is a casual,” Whittaker stated during his post-match analysis. “No offense, no offense – like you’re gonna take a little offense, I’m sorry – but if you’re not absolutely fascinated by Chimaev’s ability to control someone who’s as dogged and fights out of things like Dricus, who’s done it time and time again, who physically never gasses anymore, like super strong, has cardio for days, prepared for him, has a great headspace – if you’re not fascinated by such a one-sided domination man, then you have to be a casual because you never see this.”
The Australian’s passionate defense comes in response to widespread criticism of Chimaev’s wrestling-heavy approach, The match saw the Chechen take Du Plessis down 12 times out of 17 attempts and maintain dominant control for the majority of their 25-minute championship bout.
Whittaker emphasized the rarity of witnessing such complete dominance at the championship level. “This level of control at championship fights – we just saw someone get crucifixed for like 15 minutes,” he observed, referring to Chimaev’s repeated use of the crucifix position, one of the most controlling positions in mixed martial arts.
The former champion acknowledged that while Chimaev’s strikes appeared light to casual observers – describing them as “tiny shots” – the cumulative effect was significant. “Even though everyone’s like ‘oh yeah but they had no power in them,’ yeah but he took 500 of them, okay? It’s like it’s a crazy number bro. They start to add up.”
Whittaker was particularly critical of referee Marc Goddard’s decision to stand the contenders up twice during the contest, calling it unfair to Chimaev’s game plan. “You can’t do that man. He’s controlled at this point 22 minutes of ground time in the match and you stand him up when he’s at his most tired to give a – you can’t do that man. Not once, not twice.”
The commentary reflects a growing divide in the MMA community between those who appreciate the technical aspects of grappling dominance and fans seeking more action-packed entertainment. Whittaker’s assessment aligns with similar sentiments expressed by former UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson, who recently criticized fans who prefer striking-only combat sports.
For Whittaker, Chimaev’s performance represents the highest level of mixed martial arts competition, even if it doesn’t provide the explosive moments that draw casual viewers. The ability to completely neutralize a champion known for his resilience and cardio demonstrates a level of skill that transcends entertainment value.
The victory marked Chimaev’s first UFC title and established him as one of the most dominant wrestlers in the promotion’s history. While the performance may not have satisfied those seeking knockout highlights or submission attempts, it showcased the complete mixed martial arts skillset that defines championship-level competition.
