TLDR
- Robert Whittaker makes his light heavyweight debut against Nikita Krylov at UFC 329 on July 11
- The former middleweight champion is moving up after struggling with weight cuts at 185 pounds
- Whittaker responds to size concerns, saying he’s walking around at 220-225 pounds lean
- The 35-year-old fighter is on a two-fight losing streak and wants to extend his career
- Whittaker says light heavyweight is a more natural weight and he’s not moving up out of shape
Sources: mmajunkie.usatoday.com | fightersonly.com | mmasucka.com
Former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker is addressing concerns from fans who believe he’s too small for the light heavyweight division. The 35-year-old fighter will make his 205-pound debut against Nikita Krylov at UFC 329 on July 11 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Whittaker comes into the fight on a two-fight losing streak, having suffered a split decision loss to Reinier de Ridder in July 2025. Before that, he was submitted by Khamzat Chimaev in 2024.
The Australian fighter told former UFC champion Demetrious Johnson that difficult weight cuts to 185 pounds have affected his recent performances. He said the last four to five weeks of his past few training camps required extreme food restriction to reach middleweight.
“This is the best I think I’ve felt for my career holistically,” Whittaker said. “This is a much more natural weight for me.”
Whittaker Responds to Reddit Critics
The six-foot-tall fighter acknowledged that many fans on social media have questioned his size for light heavyweight. He joked about the constant criticism he sees online.
“Yes, Reddit absolutely kills me with every photo,” Whittaker said. “Every photo I post up or somebody else post up, it’s like, ‘Not excited for Bobby looking so small at light heavyweight. Bobby is looking small.’ I’m just short, dude. I’m short.”
🥹🇦🇺 Robert Whittaker has his retirement ‘fairytale’ in his head, he wants to have his final fight in Australia
“I found that I wanted to make a change in my career, the move up to light heavyweight. I wanted to get another few more fights out.
I’d like my retirement fight… pic.twitter.com/nQmvKkv54o
— Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) July 2, 2026
Whittaker emphasized that he hasn’t simply moved up as an overweight middleweight. He said he’s been training properly and has leaned up to build himself into a light heavyweight frame.
“I’ve done all the right things,” Whittaker explained. “I’m not going to light heavyweight as an out of shape middleweight. I’m not just a middleweight who can eat more now.”
The former champion said he’s currently walking around at 220 to 225 pounds in lean condition. He noted that most of his weight is in his lower body.
Career Considerations Drive Division Change
Whittaker revealed that the move to light heavyweight has reignited his passion for fighting. At 35 years old, he recognizes he’s in the final stages of his MMA career.
“I found that I wanted to make a change in my career,” Whittaker told Johnson. “So the move up to light heavyweight, I wanted to get another few more fights out.”
The New Zealand-born fighter said he wants his retirement fight to take place in Australia. He described having a “fairy tale in his head” about finishing his career where it started.
Whittaker said the decision to move up has gotten him “back on the wagon” and excited about training again. He believes the change will allow him to enjoy the process more than he did during his recent middleweight camps.
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The former middleweight champion thinks he’ll maintain his speed advantage against larger opponents at 205 pounds. He said being shorter doesn’t mean he’s undersized for the division.
Whittaker’s opponent Nikita Krylov holds a record of 31-11 and has fought in the UFC light heavyweight division for years. The bout will serve as the featured preliminary card fight on Paramount+.
Whittaker’s UFC record stands at 17-7, with his two most recent losses marking the first two-fight skid of his promotional career. He previously captured the UFC middleweight title and defended it successfully before losing it to Israel Adesanya.
