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Rabbitohs turn to UFC fighter to add some steel to their NRL premiership campaign

A UFC fighter with black belts in karate and hapkido, Robert Whittaker is the man charged with putting steel back into the Bunnies’ premiership campaign.

Pictured is UFC middleweight fighter Robert Whittaker during training at his gym in Padstow today before he heads over to Las Vegas for a fight. Picture: Tim Hunter.
Pictured is UFC middleweight fighter Robert Whittaker during training at his gym in Padstow today before he heads over to Las Vegas for a fight. Picture: Tim Hunter.

RABBITOHS fans, meet your ‘Reaper’.

A UFC fighter with black belts in karate and hapkido, Robert Whittaker is the man charged with putting some steel back into the Bunnies’ premiership campaign.

The Daily Telegraph can reveal the 25-year-old, who fights in Las Vegas this Sunday, has been meeting fortnightly with Souths players to train a variety of wrestling and grappling techniques.

Dubbed “The Reaper”, Whittaker has developed a strong working relationship with several senior players, including the Burgess brothers, who he describes as “super athletes”.

The Menai slugger was introduced to the club by his Brazilian jiu jitsu instructor Alex Prates, who has been part of coach Michael Maguire’s staff for two years.

Speaking from the MGM Grand Casino last night, Whittaker played down his role with the Bunnies but insisted the team would turn things around after winning only three of their opening seven games.

“The Souths boys, they’re working incredibly hard,’’ Whittaker said. “And it really is a pleasure to train with them.

“Alex my coach, he does a lot of work with the squad and has invited me along to their sessions. So I just help out where I can. Try to show the guys some different angles to think about when making a tackle.

“And the players have really picked things up quickly. So many of them are super athletes, guys who could go into any sport and excel. Moving around the mat with them, you can just tell. They’re not only talented rugby league players, they’re talented period.”

Yes, the Rabbitohs have been getting some tips from this guy.
Yes, the Rabbitohs have been getting some tips from this guy.

An avid Souths fan, Whittaker fights Brazilian Rafael Natal at UFC 197 this Sunday, Sydney time.

Australia’s highest-ranking Mixed Martial Artist was also a promising centre who had to choose between fighting and footy when, at 18, he was selected in a Cronulla Sharks development squad.

“I started playing league when I was five,’’ the UFC middleweight continues. “Played my junior footy with Riverwood, Kingsgrove and when I got older, the Menai Roosters

“Starting out I was a centre. But as I got older, bulked up and improved my tackling technique, they moved me into the forwards. I kept at until I was 19 ... then I had to chose between fighting and footy.”

Asked about his time with the Sharks development squad, Whittaker continued: “My biggest problem was that I was an introvert.

“We’d have a trial against Penrith or whoever and I just found it too hard to mix with the other players, to open up. I always felt like I had the skills, but I really struggled to be noticed in those development squads.

“Thankfully now I find it a lot easier. I can open up and talk to people no problem.”

Whittaker conceded weight, too, was a problem.

“As a footballer, they were wanting me to build up,’’ he said. “But as a fighter, I was competing at 77kg and constantly required to cut down. Something had to give. It ended up being footy.”

Currently ranked seventh in the UFC middleweight division, Whittaker will be cornered this weekend by Prates, who has also worked with the Cronulla Sharks.

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Original URL: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/teams/rabbitohs/rabbitohs-turn-to-ufc-fighter-to-add-some-steel-to-their-nrl-premiership-campaign/news-story/93de706947171f6fdcbf3ffb7112f16a