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Robert Whittaker

Robert John Whittaker is an Australian professional mixed martial artist known for competing in the UFC.

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated July 26, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

Robert John Whittaker is an Australian professional mixed martial artist known for competing in the UFC. He is a former UFC Middleweight Champion and the first Australian to win a UFC championship. Born on 20 December 1990, Whittaker has also competed in the welterweight and light heavyweight divisions.

Career

Whittaker began competing professionally in 2009 and rose to prominence through the UFC. He won The Ultimate Fighter: The Smashes welterweight tournament and later became UFC Middleweight Champion.

Championships and rankings

He is a former UFC Middleweight Champion and has been recognized as the first Australian to win a UFC championship. In 2026, sources place him in UFC rankings at light heavyweight or middleweight depending on the source and date.

Recent activity

Recent sources show Whittaker remained active in the UFC through 2025 and 2026. One source lists a July 2026 fight booking against Reinier de Ridder, while older results show his June 2024 win over Ikram Aliskerov and October 2024 loss to Khamzat Chimaev.

Key facts

  • Whittaker is an Australian mixed martial artist competing in the UFC.
  • He became the UFC Middleweight Champion and was the first Australian to win a UFC title.
  • He was born on 20 December 1990 in Auckland, New Zealand.
  • He has competed professionally since 2009.
  • His recorded professional MMA record is 28–9–0 as of the UFC stats result provided.
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Canadian context

Whittaker has no major Canada-specific connection in the provided sources, but he is a globally recognized UFC fighter followed by Canadian MMA audiences.

Frequently asked questions

Who is Robert Whittaker?
Robert Whittaker is an Australian professional mixed martial artist and former UFC Middleweight Champion. He is known as “The Reaper” and was the first Australian to win a UFC title.
How old is Robert Whittaker?
He was born on 20 December 1990, which makes him 35 years old as of July 2026.
What happened to Robert Whittaker?
He remained an active UFC fighter after losing to Khamzat Chimaev in 2024, with later sources showing him booked for another fight in 2026. No source provided indicates retirement or a career-ending event.
Is Robert Whittaker still fighting?
Yes. The provided sources show him as an active UFC fighter, with a fight listing for July 2026.
Robert Whittaker record?
The UFC stats result lists his professional record as 28–9–0.
Robert Whittaker next fight?
One UFC source says he is scheduled to face Reinier de Ridder at UFC Fight Night in Abu Dhabi on 26 July 2026.

References

  1. UFC — https://www.ufc.com/athlete/robert-whittaker
    Supports: Current athlete profile, active status, fight announcement, career notes, and divisional information.
  2. UFC Stats — http://ufcstats.com/fighter-details/e1147d3d2dabe1ce
    Supports: Professional record of 28–9–0 and bout history.
  3. ESPN — https://www.espn.com/mma/fighter/_/id/3009717/robert-whittaker
    Supports: Birthdate, age, nationality, weight class, and recent fight results.
  4. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Whittaker_(fighter)
    Supports: Full name, birth date, nationality, former championship status, and note that he is the first Australian UFC champion.
  5. IMDb — https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6196621/
    Supports: Former UFC Middleweight Champion, first Australian UFC champion, and biographical details.