ROBERT Whittaker has been forced to quit the Australian Commonwealth Games team only 19 days out from the opening ceremony, with the UFC champ told he would be stripped of his middleweight title if injured competing.

As revealed online by The Daily Telegraph, Whittaker has informed Wrestling Australia officials he will no longer be competing in the 97kg division next month.

The move comes roughly 24 hours after the Sydneysider agreed to defend his title for the first time against Cuban Yoel Romero at UFC 225 in Chicago, June 10 (Australian time).

UFC champion Robert Whittaker has quit the Commonwealth Games. Source: AAP

“I won’t be able to compete at the Commonwealth Games, no,” Whittaker said. “Obviously I’ve qualified but the UFC weren’t comfortable with me competing, especially so close to a headliner.

“There is a lot on the line for them and for me.”

Quizzed on the ramifications had he still competed at the Games, and got injured, Whittaker added: “The UFC said they would strip me.

“There were just too many risks for me competing.

“Obviously I’d initially planned to defend my title in Perth, then go to the Commonwealth Games after that. But once I got sick everything was changed around.

“The UFC are my employers so they have to come first.”

Given Whittaker has already been sidelined a year -- with a knee injury, then illness -- it was decided in discussions with UFC officialdom that, as champ, he could no afford to risk further injury in Games competition.

Robert Whittaker (right) fights Cuban Yoel Romero for the middleweight title. Picture: Sam Ruttyn Source: News Corp Australia

As a result, the father-of-three has decided to stand down from the Games, which opens April 4 on the Gold Coast.

“But now I’ve got a title fight locked which I’m obviously stoked about,” he continued.

“I’ve been out a long while and I want to get back into the Octagon. I regret not being able to compete at the Games.

“I really wanted to represent Australia.

“But the reason I fight is to provide for my family and I cannot risk having that taken away.

“Also, I love to fight.

“I’ve already been out for I while and I don’t want any more injuries. No fighter wants to risk getting ring rust.”

Despite being on an unbeaten run stretching eight wins and four years, Whittaker has not competed since beating Romero at UFC 213 last July.

The 26-year-old won the interim middleweight title that night, with a gutsy unanimous points decision win over the fighter dubbed ‘Soldier of God’.

The result also earned Whittaker the interim middleweight title, which then became the real thing once Canadian champ George St Pierre vacated.

However the Aussie was forced into an extended layoff after seriously injury his leg in the bout. Worse, a serious run of illness earlier this year preventing Whittaker from defending for the first time against US star Luke Rockhold at UFC 221 in Perth.

After Whittaker withdrew from the February card, Romero not only stepped into the headliner late, but won via a shock KO.