Robert Whittaker is “90%” convinced he’ll leave the middleweight division this year.

The 35-year-old has been a 185-pound mainstay for more than a decade, renowned for brutal fights against Yoel Romero and Derek Brunson, as well as his two-fight series with Israel Adesanya and his championship reign from 2017-19.

But, as he walks around at 235 pounds, he hinted to Uncrowned’s "The Ariel Helwani Show" on Monday that his days of cutting to 185 may be over, as he looks to 205 pounds instead.

"I'm coming back in June,” Whittaker announced. “That's the date. I want to lock in and give myself a proper three to four months to work on some new things.”

Whittaker said he wants an extended camp because he’s tired of being the same old "Reaper," and wants to surprise fans and opponents alike. “It’s time for a change,” he said.

“The last couple [weight] cuts have been hard … [and] I feel like the division is open. There's some good fights to have [at light heavyweight], and that’s where my skill set can prevail.”

Beyond the weight cut, there is also the boost fresh challenges in a new division can provide, as Whittaker has already faced current UFC middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev before, losing by brutal first-round neck crank, and has lost to the No. 1-ranked contender, Dricus du Plessis, too.

A short run at light heavyweight, perhaps with just one or two wins, could yield a title shot in the new division, Whittaker believes.

For now, he’ll stay in Las Vegas and have tentative conversations with the UFC about the move, and a plan that could see him challenge for that championship.

"I'm always one to two [wins] from the [title shot] conversation, even in the middleweight division which is just as ripe,” he said.

With UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira teasing a move to heavyweight, it may not be long until the title is vacant, left to be decided by former champs Jiri Prochazka and Magomed Ankalaev, and potentially top contender Carlos Ulberg — a kickboxer whom Whittaker knows well from the New Zealand fight scene.

It raises the question as to whether Whittaker would ever fight Ulberg for a headlining fight in the UFC’s next event around his region.

“I've trained with him now, and we're kind of mates — I don't think it would be right,” Whittaker said, ruling it out. “Even now, if I did move to light heavy, I'd want to train with him [rather than fight him].”

Not thinking too much about specific opponents, Whittaker, for now at least, appears focused on the new division and the location for his comeback instead.

"I just want to fight in June, and to be on the White House card would be awesome,” he said.

The UFC’s prospective event on the lawns of the White House is tentatively scheduled for June, with Dana White and the promotion’s matchmakers expected to construct the card in the coming weeks.