UFC 329: Robert Whittaker vs Nikita Krylov Preview & Prediction
Former middleweight champion, Robert Whittaker, makes his light heavyweight debut, with Nikita Krylov tasked with welcoming "Bobby Knuckles" to the 205 pound division.
Robert Whittaker vs Nikita Krylov facts
What time are Robert Whittaker and Nikita Krylov expected to walk out?
Where is UFC 329: McGregor vs Holloway 2? T-Mobile Arena, Paradise, USA
Where can I get tickets for UFC 329: McGregor vs Holloway 2? Click here for the latest ticket information for UFC 329
What TV channel is UFC 329: McGregor vs Holloway 2 on? UK – TNT Sports / USA – Paramount
Where can I stream UFC 329: McGregor vs Holloway 2? UK – TNT Sports can stream the event online via the TNT Sports website and HBO Max / USA – Paramount+ & UFC Fight Pass
UFC 329: McGregor vs Holloway 2 main card
Conor McGregor vs Max Holloway 2 (Welterweight)
Benoit Saint-Denis vs Paddy Pimblett (Lightweight)
Cory Sandhagen vs Mario Bautista (Bantamweight)
Brandon Royval vs Lone'er Kavanagh (Flyweight)
King Green vs Terrance McKinney (Lightweight)
UFC 329: McGregor vs Holloway 2 prelims
Robert Whittaker vs Nikita Krylov (Light Heavyweight)
Gable Steveson vs Elisha Ellison (Heavyweight)
Cody Garbrandt vs Adrian Yanez (Bantamweight)
Luke Riley vs Kai Kamaka III (Featherweight)
Tracy Cortez vs Wang Cong (Women's Flyweight)
Damian Pinas vs Cesar Almeida (Middleweight)
Farid Basharat vs John Garza (Bantamweight)
Ryan Gandra vs Zachary Reese (Middleweight)
Alessandro Costa vs Cody Durden (Flyweight)
Robert Whittaker: "The Reaper" looks to remind fans why he is regarded as one of the greatest middleweights in UFC history
Former UFC middleweight kingpin, Robert Whittaker (26-9), makes the jump to light heavyweight after a hard fought loss to Reinier de Ridder in his most recent appearance. The Aussie fan favourite is widely regarded as one of the best 185 pound fighters in UFC history, having won the belt and fought a who’s-who of elite contenders across the course of more than a decade at middleweight. An elusive karate style striker with superb footwork and an excellent kicking game, Whittaker is a notoriously underrated wrestler, shucking off takedowns and winning clinch exchanges against larger opponents at an impressive rate.
Nikita Krylov: Can "The Miner" spoil Whittaker's light heavyweight debut and earn the biggest scalp of his career?
Making his 22nd walk to the Octagon, Nikita Krylov (31-11) has been a staple of the light heavyweight division across two stints with the promotion for more than a decade. Renowned for for his unorthodox, hyper-aggressive style, “The Miner” is a dangerous finisher, with only two of his twelve UFC wins coming by way of decision. However, his aggressive approach has also come at a cost, with the Ukrainian going out on his shield in all but two of his nine UFC defeats. Much like his latest opponent, he’s fought a bevy of top contenders throughout his time in the promotion, sharing the cage with the likes of Magomed Ankalaev, Glover Texeira, and Jan Blachowicz to name but a few.
Robert Whittaker vs Nikita Krylov prediction
This is a dangerous fight for “Bobby Knuckles’” light heavyweight debut. Krylov is a big light heavyweight with a significant height and reach advantage over the former middleweight champion, boasting proven power and finishing ability at 205 pounds.
With that being said, if Whittaker can avoid getting put away in the early goings, I think he has the striking acumen to run rings around Krylov on the feet. “The Reaper” is renowned for being one of the most elusive fighters in middleweight history, kicking at distance and blitzing in with punches before bouncing in and out of range in his patented karate stance. As a former middleweight, he’s also likely to have a major speed advantage here.
The X-factor could be whether Krylov tries to mix in the wrestling and leverage his size advantage to smother Whittaker on the ground. “The Miner” has leaned on his grappling to earn victories in the past, but if Whittaker can hold his own with the enormous Reinier de Ridder, I like his chances to shuck off the Ukrainian and fight his way back to his feet. Boasting a wrestling background, the Aussie is a solid grappler in his own right, with excellent takedown defence to boot.
Whittaker is 35 and has been through a lot of wars in his career but if he negates the early threat, I see him tuning Krylov up on the feet. I actually like him to score the KO here, either catching Krylov with a hook as he crashes in, or stinging "The Miner" with his patented 1-2, head kick before putting him away with follow up punches.
Prediction: Robert Whittaker to win by TKO
