Former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker has had his first fight booked since making the move up to light heavyweight.
According to Vestnik MMA, Whittaker will be making his 205 lbs debut when he takes on Nikita Krylov at UFC 329. The event takes place on July 11 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas during the UFC’s annual International Fight Week.
“According to our data, the fight between Nikita Krylov (UFC 12-9) and Robert Whittaker (UFC 17-7) is in the works and could take place on July 12 at #UFC329. What’s your prediction?” wrote VestnikMMA on X.
Robert Whittaker is a Former UFC Middleweight Champion
The 35-year-old Whittaker has been in the UFC since 2012, when he won “The Ultimate Fighter: The Smashes.” In the 15 years since he first showed up on the scene, the Aussie has been one of the most beloved and successful fighters in the UFC.
In 2017, Whittaker reached the height of his career when he won the interim UFC middleweight title in a fight against Yoel Romero. He was later promoted to undisputed champion. Overall, Whittaker has a 17-7 UFC record in 24 bouts in the promotion. That includes a 14-5 record as a middleweight, as Whittaker started his UFC career as a welterweight, going 3-2.
After losing two straight fights to Khamzat Chimaev and Reinier de Ridder, Whittaker decided that he was going to move up to light heavyweight for the first time in his MMA career. The weight cut was simply getting to be too much for Whittaker, and so he’s decided to move up and test the waters in a new weight class.
Krylov, who has been in the UFC since 2013, is the ideal opponent for Whittaker, as he’s another longtime veteran of the sport who is essentially a gatekeeper to the top-15 rankings at 205 lbs now. Kylov is coming off a KO win over Modestas Bukauskas in his fight.
Funny enough, the current middleweight champion, Chimaev, is also apparently pondering a move up to light heavyweight, and this comes after Paulo Costa also moved up to the weight class.
Paddy Pimblett vs. Benoit Saint Denis Also Added to UFC 329
Another fight that has been added to UFC 329 is a lightweight bout between Paddy Pimblett and Benoit Saint Denis. This fight will likely be the co-main event on the card, behind a rumored main event rematch between Conor McGregor and Max Holloway. So far, this is looking like it will be one of the best cards of the year.
The UFC also beefs up its International Fight Week card, and it always has fighters from different parts of the globe, so the Whittaker vs. Krylov and Pimblett vs. Saint Denis fights are both perfectly placed on it, plus McGregor vs. Holloway 2, if it’s also added. These are all extremely interesting matchups featuring plenty of international fighters, so they all make a lot of sense for the theme of this event. UFC 329 can’t come soon enough, and Whittaker’s light heavyweight debut is going to be one of the storylines to keep your eyes on as we get closer to this event.
Former UFC Champion Gets First Fight Booked in New Weight Class