Former UFC middleweight champion, Robert ‘The Reaper’ Whittaker is gearing up to take on Paulo Costa at UFC 298 on February 17th, 2024. Whittaker has been at the top of the UFC middleweight division for over 7 years. However, despite his success, the UFC middleweight has remained humble and true to himself.

Whittaker, despite being one of the deadliest fighters in the division, is a stand-up guy when he’s outside the cage. Given that the Australian is a veteran of the sport, fans get ready for violence as soon as they see his pre-fight workout routine inside the octagon. But why does the reaper hit his chest tattoo before every fight?

Robert Whittaker’s unique chest tattoo

Before the start of every fight in the UFC, the former middleweight champion has a ritual of hitting his Southern Cross tattoo on his chest. Though it might seem like a way of hyping himself up before a fight, the reaper revealed that the act has a way deeper meaning embedded into the routine.

Whittaker had gotten the Southern Cross tattoo when he was 18. The person who took him to get the tattoo was none other than his father, Jack Whittaker. The two seem to have a very close bond and the reason for the 31-year-old hitting his chest is to show his father that he has him in his thoughts.

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“My father got me that tattoo when I was 18. When I walk into the octagon, I always tap my chest to show that whether he’s in the crowd or in the stands or at home, he knows that I’m thinking of him. It’s my way to show him that I know he’s watching,” said Whittaker, about his Southern Cross.

Whittaker has another massive tattoo on his arm, which also holds significant value for the Reaper.

Tribal tattoo on ‘The Reaper’s arm

Robert Whittaker has a massive tribal tattoo on the right side of his arm. People speculate that the tattoo is because of his part Samoan heritage. However, though true to some extent, the tribal tattoo also holds a deeper meaning behind it.

‘The Reaper’ got the tribal tattoo in dedication of his mother who was from New Zealand. The 33-year-old’s parents split while he was young, which was the reason for the former middle champ not being able to spend time with his Kiwi family. Despite this, he still honors his mother and his Maori Heritage with the tattoo.

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Will Robert Whittaker be able to bounce back from his loss against the middleweight champion, Dricus Du Plessis? And if he beats Paulo Costa at UFC 298, should he be in the conversation of a title fight against Du Plessis? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.

Also Read: UFC 298: Before Return, Robert Whittaker Brutally Attacks Dricus Du Plessis’ Skillset Despite Losing the Bout- “Beat Him 9 Times Out of 10”