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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

Dana White addresses Khamzat Chimaev’s potential UFC 333 return

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Dana White addresses Khamzat Chimaev’s potential UFC 333 return
Khamzat
Chimaev could finally return to action in Abu Dhabi.

Ultimate Fighting Championship CEO Dana
White indicated that the middleweight is being considered, like
many fighters, for
UFC 333, although no bout has been finalized.

Khamzat Chimaev pushes for UFC return as Dana White weighs UFC
333 in Abu Dhabi

Chimaev recently took to social media, seemingly eager to return to
the Octagon.

“What are we waiting for? I want to fight,†he wrote on X while
tagging the UFC boss.

White addressed Chimaev’s future following
Week 2 of
Dana White's Contender Series 2026 after being asked about the
X post from the former champion calling for a return to action.

“I didn’t see it,†White said. “Yeah, I mean, he’s always in
conversation to fight. The whole roster is. I mean, everybody, in a
perfect world, everybody fights three times a year.â€

Chimaev lost the middleweight title to Sean
Strickland earlier this year, suffering the first loss of his
professional career. While he initially hinted at a move up to
light heavyweight after the defeat, “Borz†has been calling for a
rematch with Strickland for the past few months.

Furthermore, UFC 333, scheduled for Oct. 24 at Etihad Arena on Yas
Island, already has two title bouts and a stacked main card.
Alexander
Volkanovski is set to defend his featherweight title against
Movsar
Evloev and Petr Yan will
run it back with Merab
Dvalishvili in a trilogy clash for the bantamweight strap on
the card, leaving little room for another championship bout.


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MMA

Dana White has stopped listening to Eddie Hearn amid Fury-Joshua talks

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Dana White has stopped listening to Eddie Hearn amid Fury-Joshua talks
Dana
White isn’t interested in getting dragged into the latest round
of Tyson
Fury-Anthony
Joshua negotiations and has little patience for Eddie Hearn's
comments.

Reports recently surfaced claiming Fury and Joshua have agreed to
meet Nov. 20 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. When asked
about the reported date and venue, the
Ultimate Fighting Championship CEO offered a noncommittal
response before turning his attention to Hearn.

UFC CEO Dana White brushes off Eddie Hearn during Tyson
Fury-Anthony Joshua negotiations

Speaking after
Week 2 of
Dana White's Contender Series 2026, White responded to reports
of Joshua-Fury negotiations and recent comments from Hearn.

White was asked about reports that Hearn still wants the fight
staged in the United Kingdom and had raised the possibility of
legal action if Joshua were booked without a contractual agreement.
The UFC boss said he has largely stopped paying attention to
Hearn’s public comments.

“I stopped listening to Eddie Hearn about three months ago,†White
said. “Is there anybody more full of sh*t than this guy? Come
on.â€

The exchange came after White was asked whether he was involved in
an expected announcement next week regarding the heavyweight
showdown.

“I don’t know. You might want to ask the promoters of the fight,â€
White said before adding, “I’m not going to play these games with
these f*cking guys. You know what I mean? Let’s see what
happens.â€

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MMA

Kaik Brito had one more trick saved for Dana White, and it was brutal

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Kaik Brito had one more trick saved for Dana White, and it was brutal
Kaik
Brito had some tricks up his sleeve in his fight against
Namo
Fazil.

Brito (20-6) took on a surging Fazil in a welterweight matchup in
the main event of
Week 2 of
Dana White's Contender Series 2026. While Brito looked
dangerous early in the fight, Fazil's pressure put him on the back
foot as the bout progressed.

However, Brito shut Fazil's lights off with a vicious right hand
early in the third round to earn an
Ultimate Fighting Championship contract. He notably planned to
pull off the finish right in front of UFC CEO Dana
White.

Kaik Brito details Namo Fazil knockout that secured UFC
contract

Brito knows that it looked like he was leaving everything in the
Octagon in the back-and-forth bout. However, the Brazilian claims
he was waiting for the right moment.

In the final round, when his back was against the cage, Brito
noticed he was fighting close to White. That's when he decided to
launch the missile of a right hand that flattened Fazil. He also
says he is ready to make his UFC debut as soon as possible.

“I move different,†Brito said in the post-fight interview. “I cut
angles in a completely different way. And throughout the fight, it
looked like I was going for it all. Believe me, I was saving some
things; I knew I was gonna need it at the end. And I saw Dana right
there, I thought, ‘I'm gonna do this right in front of the boss.
He's gonna see it.' I'm gonna be ready… I want to fight as soon as
possible.â€

Brito came up short against Oban
Elliott in his first DWCS opportunity in 2023. He then went 3-1
on the regional circuit, finishing all of those wins to earn
another shot at a UFC contract.

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