LAS VEGAS – In recent years, Robert Whittaker has made it clear he’s not chasing after anything when it comes to his fighting career. But with a win at Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 22, he would have a very good case for a shot at the UFC middleweight title he once held.

But will he break form and call for the opportunity should he win?

“Who knows? Maybe I’ll surprise everybody,” Whittaker told MMA Junkie at Wednesday’s media day at the UFC Apex. “We’ll wait and see. My calendar and scheduling only goes up until Saturday because it’s going to be a hard fight. I can’t look past him.”

Whittaker (22-5 MMA, 13-3 UFC) faces Kelvin Gastelum (17-6 MMA, 11-6 UFC) in a key middleweight matchup in the headlining bout of Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 22 event at the UFC Apex. The card airs on ESPN following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+.

Whittaker is currently ranked No. 2 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie middleweight rankings, with Gastelum at No. 12. But complicating matters for Whittaker, he was originally getting ready for Paulo Costa before illness forced the Brazilian out of the contest, and Gastelum stepped in on four weeks’ notice.

Whittaker admits the adjustments were a challenge but says the preparation he put in when the two were originally scheduled to fight in 2019 helped him this time around, as well.

“Fortunately, I was given a month to (prepare), and I had previously camped for Gastelum, as well,” Whittaker said. “Both things just lead up into my favor with actually accepting the change, but also I’ve had fights recently with southpaws, so it’s not too much of a stretch, too different. Obviously, stylistically Gastelum and Costa are two very different fighters, but it is what it is.”

Whittaker, then UFC middleweight champion, famously withdrew from the first booking with Gastelum on the day of the UFC 234 matchup when he needed emergency surgery for an abdominal hernia. The forced time away led Whittaker to make wholesale changes to his fighting career, and he thinks Gastelum might not be prepared for the adjustments.

“The real thing is I’m a very different beast than I was back then,” Whittaker said. “I feel like from a technical point of view, I’m a much more complete athlete – but as well as the mental game, which only reinforces all of that. It’s just never been better.”

Of course, Whittaker said he’s not discounting Gastelum’s abilities either. While “The Ultimate Fighter 17” winner did recently battle through a three-fight losing skid, Gastelum has proven himself capable of greatness in the octagon.

“I’m hoping I can go out and dominate him, but I’m expecting an absolute war,” Whittaker said. “We’re both very well-rounded. He’s got dangerous power. He can wrestle, grapple. He’s tough as nails. I can do the same. Yeah, I expect the worst, hope for the best.”

But what can be expected should Whittaker prove victorious? He’d seemingly be on the cup of a rematch with current champ Israel Adesanya, who defeated Whittaker in their UFC243 meeting. Will he ask for that fight?

“Maybe,” Whittaker said with a wry smile. “Who knows?”