Robert Whittaker is refusing to rule out a move to light heavyweight in the future.

The former UFC middleweight champion is due to face fellow top contender Marvin Vettori in the co-main event of the promotion's first ever event in Paris later this week.

Whittaker, 31, hasn't set foot inside the Octagon since his UFC 271 bout with Israel Adesanya, which he lost via unanimous decision.

And the Australian admits that he has given the idea some thought after suffering a second defeat to Adesanya.

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Whittaker told Submission Radio: “I’ve been thinking about 205 a fair bit.

“The problem is, I wouldn’t go to 205 to come back down to 185. Just because I don’t want to go to 205 as a fat 185, right?

"You see a lot of guys try that and they just get starched. And then they come back down. It doesn’t make sense.

Robert Whittaker is refusing to rule out a move to light heavyweight in the future

“So when I moved up to 185 the first time, there was no way, like I would never go back down to 170. Could never. Got to put on muscle, you have to train at that weight.

"Got to do all of the bits and bobs then and there. I think it will be a more natural weight for me, personally, but the height disadvantage is annoying. I don’t know if I would want to deal with that.

“Once I make the decision to go up to 205, I’m there. That’ll be my division. I’d finish my career there, for better or worse. I’m doing really well at 185. I’m definitely one of the most dangerous guys in the division.”

Vettori has not fought since October 2021, when he defeated Paulo Costa by unanimous decision, while Whittaker is looking to get back into the win column following his second defeat to Adesanya.

He added: "Definitely, I want to hit him as hard as I can.

"I've been working on hitting hard. I want to test his mettle. I understand how tough a fighter he is, the grit, the tenacity he has, and the type of fight he wants.

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"I want to get in for 15 minutes and put on a show, put on a barnburner, and that's what exactly I'm going to do.

"That would be amazing to be the first person to finish him.

"These guys at the top level are very hard to finish though. They're there for a reason. Everyone's tough and they avoid getting hit by the big shots.

"But that's the goal, that's the objective, and we'll see what happens."