Whittaker leap frogs Anderson Silva in latest UFC rankings

Pictured: Robert Whittaker victorious at UFC Melbourne (Credit: FNA / Joshua Stebbings)

Following his devastating first round TKO victory over Derek Brunson (16-4-0) at UFC Fight Night 101 in Melbourne this past Sunday, Robert Whittaker (17-4-0) has moved up one spot in the official UFC middleweight rankings.

The latest UFC rankings which were released on Wednesday, show Whittaker moving into sixth position, overtaking UFC legend Anderson Silva who drops to number seven. As a result of the TKO loss, Brunson moves from eighth position down to ninth.

The impressive win for the New Zealand born Australian puts Whittaker in prime position for a host of matchups in the new year with the likes of Chris Weidman (#4) or Gegard Mousasi (#5). A win against either of those fighters will most certainly put Whittaker into the title mix following the anticipated bout between champion Michael Bisping and number one contender, Yoel Romero.

Following his move up to middleweight in late 2014, the former TUF: Smashes winner has gone 5-0 in the division and at a relatively young age of 25 (for MMA), Whittaker is well placed to make a real mark on the UFC in the years to come.

Weidman open to fight with Whittaker