UFC legend Georges St-Pierre rates Australia's middleweight world champion Robert Whittaker a superstar and the total package.
Canadian St-Pierre, a former welterweight and middleweight world champion, is heading to Australia next month on a speaking tour taking in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.
He won the middleweight title from Englishman Michael Bisping in New York last November and his next fight was meant to be against the-then interim champion Whittaker.
However, in December he gave up the title after revealing he had been diagnosed with ulcerative colitis.
Whittaker was subsequently upgraded to full champion and last month again defeated Cuban Yoel Romero, the man he beat to win the interim title in 2017.
St-Pierre holds 27-year-old Sydneysider Whittaker in high regard.
"Robert Whittaker is amazing, he's an incredible champion," St-Pierre said.
"He's a perfect role model for the young kids that want to become a champion.
'He's good for the organisation, he's not banged up in jail or doing something crazy, he's good for the sport.
'He's a very skilled athlete , a very smart fighter, he's got the total package.
"He's a superstar, I can't say anything bad about Robert Whittaker, he's the perfect fighter."
St-Pierre told AAP his health was much better and he could possibly return to the octagon and fight again after September.
'When I vacated the title It was very bad, there was a lot of blood and I had an ulcer inside my stomach, now my life situation is much better," St-Pierre said.
"I went on medication and discovered time restricted eating and intermittent fasting, that helped me a lot, it made a whole difference, it changed my life."
Asked if he might fight WhIttaker if he did resume his UFC career, St-Pierre said '"I don't know yet, it all depends where the best challenge is."
"What the fans want to see the most and what I want to do the most at the time when I decide to come back."
St-Pierre is ranked No.5 in the UFC's pound-for-pound rankings despite being inactive this year.
