Whittaker targets White House bout with Strickland, delays comeback

Robert Whittaker said he wants to fight Sean Strickland at a proposed UFC card in front of the White House in June 2026, but the former middleweight champion also signaled he will delay any immediate comeback to prioritize family commitments. Whittaker, 34, said he has been pursuing a bout with Strickland for some time and views a White House event, part of Americas 250th anniversary celebrations, as a rare and historic setting for a fight between two former champions.

"I would love to fight Sean Strickland in front of the White House," Whittaker said. "For one, I think this is going to be a monumental occasion. When are you ever going to be able to fight in front of the White House ever again?" He added that the matchup would be entertaining for fans and would place him back into contention in the middleweight picture.

Whittaker has not competed since losing to Reinier de Ridder in July and has dropped his last two fights. The Australian said he originally hoped to return sooner, including potentially on a UFC card in Sydney rumored for February 2026, but that plan has been sidelined by the imminent arrival of a child. "I am having a baby in a few weeks and I want to be there,"...