Australian mixed martial arts star Robert Whittaker credits a significant re-evaluation of his life for the incredible run of form that has led him to the biggest fight of his career and a shot at the UFC interim middleweight belt.

Whittaker has won his last seven fights in a streak that dates back to June 2014 and has worked his way up the highly competitive middleweight division to earn himself a co-headline fight at UFC 213 on July 8 in Las Vegas against the formidable Cuban Yoel Romero.

The winner will eventually fight for the middleweight belt against champion Michael Bisping, who is currently sidelined with a knee injury.

The position Whittaker finds himself in is a far cry from February 2014 when he suffered his second consecutive loss against America's Stephen Thompson in the welterweight division at UFC 170.