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Robert Whittaker: ‘I definitely have a few more in me now’ thanks to light heavyweight move

Published

3 weeks ago

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Robert Whittaker: ‘I definitely have a few more in me now’ thanks to light heavyweight move

Robert Whittaker embarks on a new journey at UFC 329.

The former UFC middleweight champion makes his long-anticipated jump up to light heavyweight this Saturday when he takes on veteran Nikita Krylov at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Whittaker has spent the past 12 years competing at 185 pounds (and at welterweight before that), and so far he is thrilled with how much a less stressful weight cut has changed his life.

“The middleweight Rob Whittaker chapter has closed,†Whittaker said at UFC 329 media day on Wednesday. “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 has remained a top 10 contender at middleweight in recent years, but has struggled to find consistency in the cage. The 35-year-old is currently on a rare two-fight losing streak, with a split decision loss to Reinier de Ridder and a submission loss to Khamzat Chimaev.

As painful as those defeats were, it was the discouraging processes leading up to those fights that convinced Whittaker he had to make a dramatic change.

“A big prompt into why I made so many changes is that I didn't enjoy the last couple of camps and the last couple of fights and things had to change otherwise I wasn't going to continue,†Whittaker said. “So I made the changes. I moved to light heavyweight. I did the backend of my camp at City Kickboxing, just for the bodies and stuff. I brought my entire tribe with me to the fight itself and it really is life-changing for me. I'm enjoying the journey.

“Normally by this period I'm hungry, I'm water loading, I'm just longing to go home, I'm missing my wife and kids. I guess I was just counting down the days until it's over, where I feel fighting requires such a higher degree of focus and attention that you can't be looking past it. So to want to just go home is kind of splitting my attention, so I'm in a really good place right now.â€

Even better news for Whittaker and his fans, he believes the move to light heavyweight should prolong his career.

“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€

Whittaker was not given a layup for his first light heavyweight fight. Krylov is 9-7 competing in the UFC at 205 pounds and is coming off of a knockout of Modestas Bukauskas this past January. He also holds wins over two-time title challenger Alexander Gustafsson, Volkan Oezdemir, and Johnny Walker.

Regardless of Saturday's result, Whittaker plans to stick it out in a new division, especially with some of his former foes having also made the move already.

“I don't need validation,†Whittaker said. “I know this is my weight division. I'm never going back to middleweight. That fella is gone, let alone we have Chimaev, we have [Reinier] de Ridder, we have [Paulo] Costa, they're all light heavyweights now. So I've already danced with some of them.â€

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MMA

Dana White eyes Gervonta Davis signing after adding Shakur Stevenson

Published

28 minutes ago

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July 29, 2026

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Dana White eyes Gervonta Davis signing after adding Shakur Stevenson
Zuffa Boxing founder Dana
White hopes to add Gervonta Davis to the promotion’s growing
stable before potentially matching him up against Shakur
Stevenson.

Following Zuffa Boxing 9 in New York, White addressed the
possibility of booking a blockbuster showdown between Stevenson and
Davis, revealing that he has already held discussions with the
latter, having already signed the former.

Zuffa Boxing's Shakur Stevenson deal could lead to talks with
Gervonta Davis

White admitted that he has spoken to Davis and he's definitely
interested in working together in the future.

“I don't know [about booking Tank vs. Shakur],†White said. “I do
love Tank Davis. I'm actually a fan and we've talked to them. I
don't want to speak for him or whatever, but I have talked to him
and I'm a fan.â€

Stevenson recently signed a multi-fight deal with Zuffa Boxing,
immediately fueling speculation about potential marquee matchups
under the promotion’s banner. A clash with Davis has long been
regarded as one of boxing's biggest fights.

Davis has not competed since fighting Lamont Roach Jr. to a
controversial draw in March 2025. A proposed bout against Jake Paul was
later scrapped amid legal issues, though accusations of domestic
violence against “Tank†were ultimately dropped.

While White did not confirm any agreement with Davis, he reiterated
that Zuffa Boxing's goal remains to make the biggest fights
available.

“You can make these fights and we can only hope,†White said. “We
knew tonight's main event was going to be good, but you don't know
until it plays out. I'm looking to make all the big fights that are
out there.â€

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MMA

Dana White has a Conor McGregor return update fans won’t like

Published

4 hours ago

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July 29, 2026

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Dana White has a Conor McGregor return update fans won’t like

Ultimate Fighting Championship CEO Dana White has shared a
timeline for Conor
McGregor's recovery following the Irish star's anticlimactic
return at
UFC 329.

McGregor's long-awaited comeback lasted just 69 seconds as the
former two-division champion suffered a knee injury in his rematch
against Max
Holloway with the first kick he threw. With one fight remaining
in his contract, “Notorious†has begun his rehabilitation and has
his sights set on his Octagon return. White has now weighed in on
when McGregor will be back.

Dana White updates Conor McGregor's UFC return after ACL and
meniscus injury

Days after losing to Holloway, McGregor revealed that he suffered
an ACL and meniscus injury. The Irishman later claimed that he's
targeting a return for the summer of 2027. Speaking to reporters
following Zuffa Boxing 9, White revealed that McGregor is expected
to be sidelined for a year.

McGregor recently shared a video on Instagram of his
rehabilitation, prompting speculation about his recovery. White has
now confirmed and reiterated the return timeline.

“I have no idea,†White said when asked about McGregor's Instagram
post. “We had him on FaceTime tonight, ringside, but you know,
Conor McGregor's out for a year.â€

McGregor is eyeing International Fight Week in 2027 for the final
bout of his UFC contract.


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MMA

Islam Makhachev claims he knows Ian Garry’s UFC 330 game plan

Published

7 hours ago

on

July 28, 2026

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Islam Makhachev claims he knows Ian Garry’s UFC 330 game plan
Islam
Makhachev believes he already knows Ian Garry's
strategy for their upcoming
Ultimate Fighting Championship title clash.

The reigning welterweight champion's first title defense will be
against Garry at UFC
330 on Aug. 15 at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia and the
Russian says he has spent his entire training camp preparing for
his Irish counterpart's evasive, movement-heavy fighting style.

Islam Makhachev prepares for Ian Garry's movement-heavy style
ahead of UFC 330 welterweight title fight

Ahead of his title defense, Makhachev broke down the matchup and
Garry's skill set. The former lightweight champ claims he's
prepared to chase “The Future†in their upcoming bout, given how
the latter has mostly fought on the back foot.

“His skills: I just have to run in this camp too much because I
have to follow him,†Makhachev told MMA Fighting. “He runs too
much. I know his game plan. We always see his fights. He has the
same style always. I will try to catch him, take him down, just
what I did with my old opponents.â€

Garry has trained alongside former UFC lightweight champion
Charles
“Do Bronxs†Oliveira, who fought Makhachev for the 155-pound
title in 2022. However, Makhachev doesn’t believe his former
opponent has much advice to offer, especially considering he made
light work of the Brazilian, submitting him in the second round of
their clash.

“Charles is going to teach him how to tap fast. That’s it,â€
Makhachev added.

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