Robert Whittaker wants top opponent for next light heavyweight fight, Jan Blachowicz volunteers

Robert Whittaker is looking to climb the light heavyweight rankings after his impressive debut at 205 pounds. In July, the former middleweight champion defeated Nikita Krylov by third-round finish at UFC 329, immediately establishing himself among the division's contenders. Now "The Reaper" is eyeing matchups against top names to accelerate his rise.

On the Believe You Me podcast, Whittaker outlined his preferred opponents, naming Magomed Ankalaev and others as potential next steps. He acknowledged that Jan Blachowicz, a former light heavyweight champion, would have been an attractive option before Blachowicz's recent loss. However, Whittaker drew a firm line around his training partners—he will not fight Carlos Ulberg (the current light heavyweight champion, currently sidelined with injury) or Navajo Stirling, though he left the door open to eventually negotiating a lucrative bout against them if rankings align.

Whittaker's remarks about potentially fighting Blachowicz caught the attention of the Polish veteran, who just suffered a knockout defeat to Stirling at UFC Belgrade. Rather than accepting his loss and moving on, Blachowicz took to social media Thursday with a direct callout: "Hey Robert Whittaker! Let's turn your words into action." The challenge puts the onus back on Whittaker to decide whether to accept a duel with a former champion seeking redemption, or continue pursuing other top contenders as he works his way up the 205-pound hierarchy. Whittaker has not yet publicly responded to Blachowicz's offer.