MMA
Nikita Krylov predicts Robert Whittakers light heavyweight move will fail
Published
1 month agoon
Nikita Krylov would like to be the wrench in a former's champ's
plans at 205 pounds. | 📷: Getty/UFC
Nikita
Krylov wants to play spoiler for Robert
Whittaker's light heavyweight move.
Whittaker (26-9) is set to make his light heavyweight debut in the
Ultimate Fighting Championship against Krylov (31-11) at
UFC 329 on Saturday, July 11 at T-Mobile Arena in Las
Vegas.
Krylov believes Whittaker envisions a light heavyweight move like
Alex
Pereira, who went on to win the title at 205 pounds. However,
the Ukrainian-born Russian fighter has claimed that the former
middleweight champion's move up is more likely to end up like
Israel
Adesanya’s or Chris
Weidman's.
Nikita Krylov says Robert Whittaker’s light heavyweight move
mirrors Israel Adesanya
Adesanya only fought once at light heavyweight, losing his title
bid to then-champion Jan
Blachowicz in 2021. Weidman had also moved back to middleweight
after being thwarted at light heavyweight by Dominick
Reyes in 2019. Krylov hopes to send Whittaker back to 185
pounds in a similar fashion.
“It looks like he wants to move up like Alex
Pereira. But I think it may end up the way it did in Adesanya's
case,†Krylov told Red Corner MMA. “Jan Blachowicz beat Israel
Adesanya; Dominick Reyes beat Chris Weidman; I'd like to see
something similar for Robert as well.â€
Whittaker never reclaimed his middleweight title after losing it to
Adesanya in 2019. The Australian is moving up to light heavyweight
on the back of consecutive losses to Khamzat
Chimaev and Reinier
de Ridder.
Meanwhile, Krylov has gone 6-6 in the UFC since making his Octagon
debut in 2018. He is coming off a stoppage win over Modestas
Bukauskas, rebounding from back-to-back losses to Reyes and
Bogdan
Guskov.
Nikita
Krylov believes Robert
Whittaker could face the same challenges other former
middleweights have faced after moving up in weight ahead of their
clash at #UFC329
in Las Vegas.“It looks like he wants to move up like Alex
Pereira. But I think it may end up the way it did in… pic.twitter.com/p3fzWBRlH4— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA)
July 8, 2026
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MMA
Anthony Smith pleads not guilty to four felony charges in Nebraska
Published
8 hours agoon
August 18, 2026
Smith has pleaded not guilty to four felony charges stemming
from a July domestic incident in Nebraska.
Court records confirmed
Smith’s plea, resulting in the cancellation of an arraignment
scheduled for Aug. 17. The former
Ultimate Fighting Championship light heavyweight title
challenger is now due back in court for a status hearing Sept. 21
in Sarpy County.
Former UFC title challenger Anthony Smith faces four felony
charges stemming from an alleged July domestic incident in Gretna,
Nebraska
Smith faces one Class 2 felony count involving an attempted Class 1
offense, a terroristic-threats charge and two counts of
first-degree false imprisonment, all classified as Class 3A
felonies. A Class 2 felony in Nebraska can carry a prison term of
one to 50 years, while Class 3A felonies carry up to three years of
imprisonment and 18 months of post-release supervision.
Prosecutors allege that Smith became involved in an altercation
with his wife at a Gretna, Nebraska, bar on July 26. They claim
Smith threatened to kill his wife, forced her into his vehicle and
later attempted to strike her with the vehicle after she exited it.
His wife was not physically injured, according to prosecutors’
account.
Smith has not publicly addressed the allegations. His wife, Mikhala
Renee Newman, previously offered a different characterization of
the incident, saying Smith was experiencing a mental health crisis
and that she had sought help to protect him from himself.
MMA
Sean Strickland trades heated DMs with Tyron Woodley over Din Thomas cornering controversy
Published
8 hours agoon
August 18, 2026
Credit: Michelle Farsi/Chris Unger/Matt Winkelmeyer/Zuffa LLCUFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland and former titleholder Tyron Woodley engaged in a war of words over Din Thomas.
UFC analyst and former fighter Din Thomas is under intense criticism after ‘retiring' as a cornerman following Gillian Robertson's loss at UFC 330. Robertson lost to UFC women's strawweight champion Mackenzie Dern by unanimous decision with Thomas, her longtime mentor and coach, in her corner.
After massive backlash, Thomas apologized for his ‘retirement' during the most recent episode of Deep Waters alongside Dustin Poirier and Jorge Masvidal. Robertson, in her first post-fight comments after UFC 330, appeared to question the sincerity of Thomas' apology.
Enter Sean Strickland, who went on an X-rated social media rant against Thomas as the controversy built steam over the weekend. Strickland defended Robertson's performance and blasted Thomas' critical remarks in the immediate aftermath of the fight.
After Strickland's remarks went viral, one of Thomas' closest confidants, former UFC welterweight champ Tyron Woodley, defended the coach against Strickland's attacks.
Sean Strickland, Tyron Woodley trade threats over Din Thomas controversy
As Strickland leaked on Instagram, Woodley gave him a stern warning after the middleweight champ's recent remarks about Thomas following UFC 330.
“Watch your mouth talking about Din,†Woodley messaged Strickland.
“You have no clue WTF you talking about, we laugh all the time when you have no filter, but you a habitual line-crosser. I'm ride or die about him. Don't cross that line.â€
Tyron Woodley confronted Sean Strickland in his DMs for talking bad about Din Thomas
Sean Strickland sent him back a screenshot of his 7-fight losing skid 😬
ðŸ—£ï¸ Woodley: “Watch your mouth talking about Din. You have no clue wtf you talking about.â€
ðŸ—£ï¸ Strickland: “Bro what are… pic.twitter.com/MjP2elpaR2
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) August 18, 2026
Three hours later, Strickland hit back at Woodley.
“Bro, what are you gonna do? You ain't gonna do a damn thing lmao,†Strickland responded to Woodley.
“Din can suck my c—. Weak a– b—-.â€
What are your thoughts on the Din Thomas cornering controversy? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM
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