After a log jam that brought the middleweight division to a screeching halt, there is about to be a tidal wave of movement like someone blew up a dam. Georges St-Pierre left the middleweight division and now Luke Rockhold’s fight with Robert Whittaker at UFC 221 will be for the actual middleweight title. The opening odds have been released for this main event title shot and Whittaker is a slight favorite over the former Strikeforce and UFC champ.
Robert Whittaker will open a slight -125 betting favorite over Luke Rockhold (-105) at UFC 221, according to https://t.co/qZp1ejgvMo.
— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) December 8, 2017
“I don’t want to jump to conclusions but, I mean, the fact is, [Georges St-Pierre should] come out and just that say you don’t want to fight here in the division, relinquish the title, and move on. I’m tired of story after story and just dragging us on and leaving us in the dark. State what it is. If you’re sick you’re sick, but the fact is, you don’t want to fight in the division. There’s been talks all along the way, potential this, potential that. They have to make up backup plans. They’re trying to make fights like Yoel Romero right now. Why would I fight Yoel Romero when there is no one clear-cut fight contender fighting [Robert] Whittaker? Obviously I want to fight for the title if that’s available, I’m not going to f-cking sign any fight. I want to fight for the title, and if that’s available, that what I’m going to do.” – Luke Rockhold speaking on The MMA Hour.
Luke Rockhold got his wish. The clocks have been set back. The Ghost of Middleweight Division’s Past has afforded him another shot to get his belt back in Perth. Rockhold was on a five-fight win streak before he was upset by Michael Bisping and is eager to have gold placed back onto his waist. Robert Whittaker on the other hand, boasts an eight-fight win steak with back-to-back wins over Ronald “Jacare” Souza and Yoel Romero. It’s those incredible victories over the scariest match-ups at middleweight that probably edges him out on the odds.
This article first appeared on BJPenn.com on 12/8/2017.