Robert Whittaker Pitches Brendan Allen vs. Khamzat Chimaev, Not DDP

Brendan Allen keeps winning, and the middleweight picture keeps getting murkier. The 185-pound contender tapped out Christian Leroy Duncan in the fifth round at UFC Vegas 122 on Saturday, stretching his run to four straight and pushing his record to 11-2 since 2022. He wants Dricus du Plessis next. Robert Whittaker thinks he's aiming at the wrong former champion.

On his MMArcade Podcast, Whittaker floated Allen against Khamzat Chimaev instead — the man who dominated du Plessis for the title at UFC 319. Whittaker's reasoning is pure style breakdown: he figures Allen's superior striking and, more importantly, his jiu-jitsu could gum up Chimaev's suffocating top control. Allen's nine career submissions suggest Whittaker isn't just talking.

Why Chimaev Needs a Dance Partner

Chimaev hasn't fought since his first title defense against Sean Strickland, which went the distance and handed him the first loss of his career. He's been angling for a rematch, but Strickland looks more likely to run it back with Nassourdine Imavov — if Strickland fights at all, given his ongoing public spat with the UFC over pay. That leaves Chimaev dangling, and Whittaker sees Allen as the obvious fix.

There's a second layer to the pitch. Booking Allen against Chimaev frees up du Plessis for Gregory Rodrigues, a fight Whittaker practically drooled over. He called it a slugfest neither man can coast through — exactly the kind of chaos he'd pay to watch. Rodrigues is coming off a decision win over Anthony Hernandez, one of the two men to have beaten Allen.

A Division on Hold

The top of the division is stuck until Strickland's situation resolves, but the undercard is doing some sorting. Caio Borralho meets Yousri Belgaroui at UFC 334, and Joe Pyfer faces Bo Nickal at UFC 335 — Nickal (9-1) looking to build on a first-round finish of Kyle Daukaus. Any of those could reshuffle the contender line.

As for Whittaker himself, don't expect a return to 185. The former champion has moved up to light heavyweight and says the chapter is closed — the training's better, the lifestyle's better, and at this stage he cares about enjoying the ride and bringing his kids along for it. He's proud of his middleweight run, but he's made his peace with turning the page.