It's time to return to the drawing board for Robert Whittaker after dropping a razor-thin split-decision to Reinier de Ridder at UFC Abu Dhabi.
The 34-year-old has now lost two fights on the trot and will likely fall outside of the top-five in the next update of the UFC middleweight rankings.
It was a gruelling back-and-forth affair between the Australian and the Dutchman, with multiple instances of both looking significantly hurt.
Going into the bout, Whittaker had his eyes set on a return to the title picture, outlining his four-fight plan to get the belt back.
"Four fights. I see the light at the end of the tunnel, I want four more, that’s me. I see the stepping stones needed to do what I want to do,” Whittaker said to FOX Sports Australia.
"Four fights gets me into that title shot, gets me into a position to finish on top, to have that fairy tale ending. I’m working towards it."
Now, the former middleweight champion will have to adjust his plan if his heart is still set on capturing gold once again.
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Why now is the time for Whittaker vs. Strickland
Now that the dust has settled on the UFC Abu Dhabi main event, we look ahead at what's in store for 'The Reaper' upon his return to the cage.
A fight against controversial American star Sean Strickland is the perfect fight for Whittaker as he enters the final chapter of his career.
Strickland is currently ranked at number two in the UFC's middleweight rankings, however, after recently being slapped with an indefinite suspension from the Nevada State Athletic Commission for allegedly punching an athlete at a regional fight show, he is in no position to be demanding a higher-ranked opponent.
Both men have seemingly circled each other for years at the top of this division but have never crossed paths.
With Strickland being a familiar face to the Australian fanbase, having captured the title at UFC 293 over Israel Adesanya in Sydney, this would be the perfect high-profile matchup for both men to return to.
The UFC is scheduled to host a card in Perth in September of this year, however, given the damage Whittaker took against de Ridder, and the uncertainty over Strickland's future, that date may be too soon.
A more realistic timeline would be to wait for the next fight of either Alex Volkanovski, or Jack Della Maddalena, to serve as a blockbuster co-main event.
Volkanovski and Della Maddalena both hold world titles at their respective weight categories and are proud representatives of Australian mixed martial arts.
The UFC should look to build on the excitement in the Australian scene which has reached a fever pitch, booking Whittaker and Strickland in what is sure to be an epic action fight.