Chael Sonnen doesn’t want to see Sean Strickland fight Robert Whittaker.
After returning to the win column with a win over Paulo Costa at UFC 298, Whittaker (25-7 MMA, 16-5 UFC) said he sees fellow former champion Strickland (28-6 MMA, 15-6 UFC) as a logical next opponent.
With middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis linked to a title fight against Israel Adesanya, Sonnen thinks a potential Strickland vs. Whittaker fight would take out a title contender.
“I don’t know how Sean Strickland should handle it,” Sonnen said on his YouTube channel. “My thought on it is contrary to what I would generally have. I think Strickland should ignore it. I don’t think that those two should fight. I don’t think that that behooves all of us. I think it eliminates a top guy. Generally in this sport, all we’re trying to do is get the top guys vs. the top guys.
“I get it. The timing feels off to me. It just feels off to me. If you agree with me and you think it’s off, what you’re not going to think that, and you’re not going to agree with me, and we’re not going to have this same opinion one week from now if Sean Strickland jumps onboard and addresses it. … I think it’s the wrong direction.”
Prior to beating Costa, Whittaker suffered a TKO loss to Du Plessis at UFC 290. Strickland is coming off a title loss to Du Plessis at UFC 297 in January.
Chael Sonnen isn’t keen on seeing Sean Strickland fight Robert Whittaker: ‘It eliminates a top guy’