Robert Whittaker has never been one for trash talk but he’s ready to let his fists do the talking! ‘The Reaper’ faced off against the juggernaut that is Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 308. But due to suffering a broken jaw, Whittaker tapped out in the first round to a face-crank submission. Sean Strickland’s response?In his trademark fashion, ‘Tarzan’ fired off by stating, “Rob is known to either be a f—- superstar or a f—- can, and he was a f—- can (against Chimaev).” Well, now Whittaker is ready to return fire, inside the Octagon. In a recent interview, the former middleweight king made it clear that a showdown with Strickland is inevitable, and he’s giving him a four-month heads-up.Robert Whittaker is ready to return to action against “tough dude” Sean Strickland In a recent conversation with Anthony Smith on the ‘On Paper’ podcast, shared on Instagram by Championship Rounds, Robert Whittaker laid out his thoughts. He acknowledged the history he shares with Sean Strickland, even though they’ve never crossed paths in the Octagon.‘The Reaper’ stated, “I think Strickland makes a good argument to have because I feel like we’ve both been in that top sort of pond for a while, circling each other.”Despite their long-standing presence in the division, fate, or matchmakers, have kept them apart. But now, with Whittaker looking for his next fight and with Strickland fresh off a title loss to Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 312, the timing couldn’t be better.Whittaker noticed the same and shared, “I feel like, for whatever reason, we haven’t been matched up, but we’ve both been in proximity for a while. It’s most likely the fight to make.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Championship Rounds (@champ.rds)But it’s not just about possibly settling the score, it’s also about the challenge. Whittaker’s resume is filled with elite middleweights like Yoel Romero, Israel Adesanya, Kelvin Gastelum, and more. As such, according to the Australian fighter, “I’m excited about that fight. Like I look at his style and I find it curious. Like I find it exciting to try and work out. He’s a tough dude.”When Anthony Smith pressed him for a timeline for his return to action, ‘The Reaper’ shared, “So I’ve, I’ve just been working on some things, working on some new skillsets, but I, I want to come back this year in June. That’s, that’s the, when I want to put my hand up to fight because it gives me a good amount of time to just continue doing what I’m doing, but also ease into a camp, camp properly and come in, you know, my best self.”So what happens when the two face off inside the Octagon? It’s an intriguing matchup. Two former champions, with vastly contrasting styles, promise fireworks for the fans. However, according to Daniel Cormier, ‘The Reaper’ should be given a different challenge for his next fight!Daniel Cormier believes it’s time for Whittaker to defend his ranking against a rising contender While Robert Whittaker eyes a showdown with Sean Strickland, Daniel Cormier has another name in mind, Anthony Hernandez. ‘Fluffy’ has been on a tear through the middleweight divisions and recently picked up a crucial win over Brendan Allen at UFC Seattle. Now, with a 7-fight win streak under his belt, is it time for him to take on the 185 lbs. elite?According to Cormier, speaking on the ‘Good Guy/Bad Guy’ podcast, “He’s won four in a row now. It’s KO, sub, KO, unanimous decision. I think it’s time that we put this kid in there with someone real.”The question is, who? Cormier floated two major names, Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker. Both former champions are ranked in the top five, and either would give Hernandez the chance to prove he’s ready for a title shot.Cormier stated, “Can you get a Whittaker or an Izzy to fight this kid next? Because that’s that situation where you’ve got to start using those names from a prior generation now to elevate a guy like Fluffy Hernandez.”To wrap things up, the middleweight division is at a crossroads, and the next move could reshape the future of the top of the mountain. Robert Whittaker has made his intentions clear, he wants Strickland in June. But will the UFC give him what he wants, or will they throw a rising star like Hernandez into the mix? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below! The post Sean Strickland Given 4 Month Notice as Robert Whittaker Makes His Intentions Clear for Next UFC Fight appeared first on EssentiallySports.