Former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker is hungry to get his hands back on gold, and hopes current titleholder Dricus Du Plessis is still on top when he gets another shot.

Whittaker (25-7 MMA, 16-5 UFC) suffered his first stoppage loss since 2019 when he shared the cage with Du Plessis (21-2 MMA, 7-0 UFC) at UFC 290. The win propelled the South African to a title shot, one that he would go on to win by split decision over Sean Strickland.

For Whittaker, it’s about getting one back. The hardware is more important to “The Reaper,” but evening the score with Du Plessis wouldn’t hurt as a complementary piece to the story.

“It is just about getting the belt back,” Whittaker told MMA Junkie. “The goal never changes. Not for personal reasons, anyway. The idea that Dricus has the belt, I can get two birds with one stone. Sounds pretty good.”

Whittaker’s most recent outing was a unanimous decision win in an incredible fight against Paulo Costa at UFC 298, establishing himself within striking distance of another title shot.

Only one other man was able to hand Whittaker a loss since 2014, fellow former champ Israel Adesanya, who could end up being Du Plessis’ next title challenger. Whittaker’s path to another title shot may include a No. 1 contender fight against someone like Sean Strickland or Khamzat Chimaev.

However things end up shaking out, if Whittaker earns another crack at the 185-pound title and Du Plessis is still holding the title, he knows what he would do differently in a second meeting against the now-champion.

“Everything,” Whittaker said when asked what he would change in a rematch with Du Plessis. “You saw my headspace moving into last fight. That was a hard fight and I was in there. I beat Costa just on hunger. I beat him with just determination and grit. That’s what I feel I lacked most in the fight with Dricus. So, having that and the confidence of my past fight, and the confidence I can control my own headspace, everything’s different.”