Robert Whittaker has fought a who’s-who of UFC middleweight title contenders and says there is one fighter who is most deserving of a shot against champion Dricus du Plessis.

Khamzat Chimaev, who defeated Whittaker at October’s UFC 308 card in Abu Dhabi, has long been considered as a future title contender, first in the welterweight division and now in his new home at 185-pounds. But after defeating the former champ in Whittaker, Chimaev will take a back seat in title contention when another ex-champion, Sean Strickland, will take on South Africa’s Du Plessis next month.

But according to Whittaker, this isn’t how it was supposed to do down.

“Khamzat was in the discussion when he beat Usman that time. And then he had the time off and then he fought me, beat me,” Whittaker explained on his MMArcade podast, as noted by MMA Fighting. “So I don’t know, he’s always kind of been in the title discussion. He’s undefeated.

“It’s hard to argue against him getting a shot at this point, especially if you’re giving Sean Strickland a title shot like that.”

Whittaker added, though, that Strickland is also deserving of a shot at redemption against Du Plessis after losing his world title by split decision in January.

“To be fair, Sean’s that sort of fighter, too,” Whittaker said of the American. “He will fight anyone as well. Sean’s fought a bunch of people at different weights as well, so there’s no argument there that Sean will fight anyone.”

Ultimately Whittaker says that the decision is obviously out of his hands, given his own status in the 185-pound fold.

“I don’t care, dude,” he said. “Ultimately, let him, who cares? I’m out of the picture, it doesn’t matter anymore.”