Whittaker nears Comm Games wrestling debut

Nov 26, 2017 - 2:39 AM UFC interim middleweight champion Robert Whittaker has put himself in the box seat for a Commonwealth Games wrestling berth but will first have to survive the federation's cut this week.

Whittaker took his quest to fight for gold on the Gold Coast in April one step further this weekend by winning the 97kg division in this weekend's Australian wrestling trials in Melbourne.

Now the 26-year-old faces a nervous wait as Wrestling Australia prepares to meet and decide who it will nominate for selection.

There were 12 winners -- male and female -- across the six contested divisions but Australia are only eligible to send eight athletes to the Games, forcing the organisation to pick its strongest contenders.

Whittaker's chances are good, having also won May's Australian wrestling championships after revealing he'd considered expanding his mixed martial arts portfolio for years.

The only hurdle in his way could be a likely UFC middleweight world title fight mooted for Perth next February -- ahead of the Commonwealth Games which begin on April 4.

"A lot will depend on timing," Whittaker said earlier this month.

"And my first commitment is always to the UFC, but if there's a possibility of things lining up then I'd like to get in and give it a dig.

"I find the (Commonwealth Games tilt) is a great way for me to keep sharp and keep my competition fitness up.

"So if I haven't got a fight locked in or confirmed, and I qualify ... yeah, I'm definitely going to have a go."

Also meeting Wrestling Australia's qualifying standard in Melbourne were Carissa Holland (women's 53kg) -- who trains at the same western-Sydney gym as Whittaker -- and her cousin Jayden Lawrence (men's 86kg).

The duo won their respective categories along with fellow 2014 Commonwealth Games athletes Rupinder Kaur (women's 50kg) and Mehrdad Tarash (men's 65kg).

Source: AAP