Former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker shared his reaction to being placed on the preliminary card at UFC 329.
Whittaker is making his UFC light heavyweight debut when he takes on Nikita Krylov at UFC 329, which takes place on July 11 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. After fighting his UFC career exclusively at welterweight and middleweight up to this point, Whittaker is making a big career transition up to 205 lbs.
He’ll also be making the transition to the prelims for the first time since UFC 160 in May 2013, when he knocked out Colton Smith on the FX preliminary card for that event.
Robert Whittaker Shares Honest Reaction to Being on Prelims at UFC 329
Speaking to Submission Radio in a recent interview, Whittaker was asked what he thought about the UFC putting him on the prelims at UFC 329, and he shared his honest reaction.
“Well, it’s different. I haven’t been in a prelim fight for a long time,” Whittaker said (via Bloody Elbow).
“I don’t know. On paper, intellectually, you look at it, it makes sense-ish. My first move up to 205 lbs, coming back after a big layoff. Honestly, the silver lining is that I get to get my fight out of the way a little bit earlier. I hate those late nights. They kill me a little bit.”
This should be a good test for Whittaker in his light heavyweight debut against Krylov, someone who has been a mainstay in the weight class for well over a decade. Whittaker was one of the best middleweights in the world for many years, but after he lost his last two fights against Reinier de Ridder and Khamzat Chimaev, he decided that moving up in weight for the latter part of his career was the right move. We’ll find out at UFC 329 if he’s right about this career transition.
UFC 329 is a Stacked Card
While Whittaker vs. Krylov is a fantastic fight, it’s understandable why it’s on the preliminary card at UFC 329 when you look at what else is slated to take place at this event.
In the main event, you have the rematch between UFC superstar Conor McGregor and Max Holloway, a fight that is sure to draw plenty of eyeballs as it’s McGregor’s first UFC appearance since 2021. Then, in the co-main event, you have Paddy Pimblett taking on Benoit Saint Denis in what is also an incredible fight.
The same can be said about both Mario Bautista vs. Cory Sandhagen and Brandon Royval vs. Lone’er Kavanagh. Both of these fights are amazing, and obviously main card worthy.
Then, you have the UFC debut of elite heavyweight prospect Gable Steveson, who battles Elisha Ellison in what appears to be a mismatch. This is the one fight of the five main card bouts at UFC 329 that arguably should be a prelim. But the 25-year-old Steveson is the future of the UFC heavyweight division, so it makes sense why the promotion is putting him on the main card and giving him the spotlight in his UFC debut.
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