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Robert Whittaker extends MMA career thanks to light heavyweight move: "It is honestly life-changing"

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Robert Whittaker extends MMA career thanks to light heavyweight move: "It is honestly life-changing"

Robert Whittaker already feels his career has been extended before making his 205-pound debut.

Whittaker is scheduled to enter a light heavyweight bout for the first time on Saturday. The former UFC Middleweight Champion will meet Nikita Krylov in the featured preliminary bout of the UFC 329 card in Las Vegas. This will be Whittaker's first bout since his quick submission loss to Khamzat Chimaev back in 2024.

Now that he is done with the 185-pound weight class, Whittaker feels there is new life in his run as a prizefighter. “The Reaper†discussed how crucial making the jump to light heavyweight was during UFC 329 media day (via MMAFighting).

“The middleweight Rob Whittaker chapter has closed,†Whittaker said. “I'm very happy as a light heavyweight. It is honestly life-changing. I recommend it to anybody. … I still do have to cut weight, it's just not as brutal. It's not as bad.

“I was able to fuel myself much more during the camp. Recovery was much higher. My moods were better. Everything was just better for it.â€

Whittaker wanted to make it clear that despite feeling his fighting career has been extended, he won't go beyond a certain point.

“Let's be honest, I don't want to be fighting for another five years by any means, I've got other things I want to do,†Whittaker said. “I want to play Masters soccer, things like that. But I definitely have a few more in me now because the way I was feeling after the last couple of fights, the camps, how drained I was for them, how much of a grind it was, dragging my feet to get to everything. Comparatively, I definitely have a new love and lease on the game.â€

BJPenn.com's own Cole Shelton recently spoke to Whittaker, who praised Krylov as a worthy opponent for his light heavyweight debut. Whittaker said he's aware of how dangerous Krylov can be, but he feels he can capitalize on openings to secure the win on Saturday.

How do you see Robert Whittaker's light heavyweight debut playing out on Saturday? Sound off in the comments below.

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MMA

Johnny Walker wanted to take it slow at heavyweight, then UFC called

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Johnny Walker wanted to take it slow at heavyweight, then UFC called
Johnny
Walker's heavyweight run is going faster than he planned.

Ultimate Fighting Championship welterweights Sean Brady
and Gabriel
Bonfim were originally scheduled to headline
UFC Vegas 124 on Nov. 7 at Meta Apex in Las Vegas. However,
Brady pulled out because of a severe staph infection and the
promotion didn't book a replacement to keep Bonfim on the card.
Walker then accepted the headlining matchup against Waldo
Cortes-Acosta on nine days' notice.

What a victory over Waldo Cortes-Acosta could mean for Johnny
Walker

Walker (23-10, 1 NC) made his heavyweight debut against Mick Parkin
in October, scoring a bonus-winning first-round knockout. The
former light heavyweight recently revealed he originally wanted to
take things slow in his new weight class.

“I was thinking to take small steps and go slow in the division,â€
Walker said at media day ahead of UFC Vegas 124. “See how I feel at
heavyweight. That was my plan. God had different plans than me. God
has better plans for me.â€

Cortes-Acosta (17-4) was riding a three-fight win streak before
losing to Alexander
Volkov and Curtis
Blaydes this year. A win over “Salsa Boy†will launch Walker
into the heavyweight Top 10 in just his second appearance in the
division.

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UFC Vegas 124: 'Cortes-Acosta vs. Walker' Live Results and Highlights

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UFC Vegas 124: 'Cortes-Acosta vs. Walker' Live Results and Highlights

The Octagon remains at the Apex for tonight's UFC Vegas 124 event, a 14-bout fight card headlined by Waldo Cortes-Acosta vs. Johnny Walker.

Cortes-Acosta (17-4 MMA) will enter this evening's main event with hopes of snapping a two-fight losing skid. ‘Salsa Boy' is coming off unanimous decision losses to Curtis Blaydes and Alexander Volkov in his most recent Octagon appearances. Prior to those setbacks, Waldo had strung together three straight stoppage wins, including a second-round TKO victory over Derrick Lewis.

Meanwhile, Johnny Walker (23-10 MMA) made his return to heavyweight last month and scored first-round knockout victory over Mick Parkin. The 34-year-old Brazilian has gone 2-3 over his past five fights overall.

UFC Vegas 124 is co-headlined by a women's strawweight bout between perennial division contenders Tatiana Suarez and Virna Jandiroba.

Suarez (12-1 MMA) will enter the contest on a two-fight winning streak, this after scoring victories over Amanda Lemos and Loopy Godinez in her most recent Octagon appearances. Prior to those triumphs, Tatiana had suffered her first career loss at the hands of Weili Zhang in a bout for the women's strawweight title.

Meanwhile, Virna Jandiroba (23-4 MMA) most previously competed this past April, where she scored a unanimous decision victory over Tabatha Ricci. Prior to that, ‘Carcará' dropped a decision to Mackenzie Dern in a fight for the promotion's then vacant strawweight title at UFC 321.

Get all of tonight's live results and highlights below (refresh for updates):

UFC Vegas 124 Main Card (8pm EST on Paramount+)

265 lbs: Waldo Cortes-Acosta vs. Johnny Walker – Walker def. Cortes-Acosta via TKO at 2:27 of Round 3

115 lbs: Tatiana Suarez vs. Virna Jandiroba – Suarez def. Jandiroba by unanimous decision (30-27 x2, 29-28)

135 lbs: Davey Grant vs. Elijah Smith – Smith def. Grant via KO (punches) at 1:00 of Round 1

205 lbs: Billy Elekana vs. Lucas Fernando – Fernando def. Elekana by unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

135 lbs: Priscila Cachoeira vs. Nina Milosevic – Milosevic def. Cachoeira via TKO (elbows and punches) at 3:40 of Round 2

125 lbs: Mitch Raposo vs. Marcos Degli – Raposo def. Degli by unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

UFC Vegas 124 Prelims (5pm EST on Paramount+)

145 lbs: Ollie Schmid vs. Keiichiro Nakamura – Schmid def. Nakamura by unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

265 lbs: Thomas Petersen vs. Gabriel Lorenco – Peterson def. via TKO (punches) at 4:47 of Round 3

125 lbs: Karine Silva vs. Gabriella Fernandes – Silva def. Fernandes by unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

145 lbs: Murtazali Magomedov vs. Jose Delano – Magomedov def. Delano by unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

145 lbs: Austin Bashi vs. Carlos Calderon – Bashi def. Calderon via submission (rear naked choke) at 1:07 of Round 1

185 lbs: Andre Petroski vs. Mantas Kondratavicius – Petroski def. Kondratavicius via TKO (ground and pound) at 4:39 of Round 2

170 lbs: Seokhyeon Ko vs. Wellington Turman – Ko def. Turman by unanimous decision (30-27 x3)

170 lbs: Jose Souza vs. Jonny Parsons – Souza def. Parsons via KO (punches) at 4:16 of Round 2

Who are you picking to emerge victorious in tonight's heavyweight main event between Waldo Cortes-Acosta and Johnny Walker? Share your predictions in the comment section Penn Nation!

This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM


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Video: Mo Deen’s vicious knockout sparks all-out brawl with chairs, steel barricades flying at Unhinged 3

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Video: Mo Deen’s vicious knockout sparks all-out brawl with chairs, steel barricades flying at Unhinged 3

The influencer boxing scene had a tough night, with a card getting cancelled before the Unhinged 3 main event.

On Saturday, influencer HSTikkyTokky put on a boxing event in Ireland, and in one of the featured contests featured winless Misfits Boxing fighter Mo Deen taking on MrTikTokUK. At long last, Mo Deen got a win, knocking down is overmatched opponent multiple times before delivering a fight-ending knockout.

After the win, Mo Deen leaped into the crowd towards the commentary table, where he attempted to get his hands on English Defence League co-founder and controversial U.K. political activist Tommy Robinson.

From there, Robinson is shown on camera holding a book, and Mo Deen attacked him in the ring, and all hell broke loose. Check out the footage below.

Chairs and even steel barricades were seen being lifted and thrown throughout the melee that took place in and around the ring, and the crowd. A few minutes later, the promotion called the event then and there.

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