Robert Whittaker wary of Nikita Krylov's power, but says movement is key
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Robert Whittaker has prepped himself to enter UFC 329 as a legitimate light heavyweight.
Former UFC middleweight champion Whittaker (26-9 MMA, 17-7 UFC) makes his 205-pound debut against Nikita Krylov (31-11 MMA, 12-9 UFC) in Saturday's featured prelim at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas (Paramount+).
Whittaker assures that he has built himself into the light heavyweight frame. Krylov has a very high finish rate, but most of his losses have also come by stoppage.
"Be patient, respect his power, respect his aggressiveness, his kill-or-be-killed attitude, and just use my movement to open up holes, to open up opportunities," Whittaker told MMA Junkie Radio of Krylov. "And when I see them, send him home."
Whittaker spent time training at City Kickboxing for this camp, home of current UFC light heavyweight champion Carlos Ulberg.
"I did a lot of the camp with bigger boys," Whittaker said. "The backend of the camp, I went to City Kickboxing. I was training exclusively with the likes of Navajo Sterling and Tyson Pedro, and those guys are huge fellas, huge bodies to work with. And I can tangle with them. Obviously, training is not fighting, and power and punches is the ultimate equalizer. But that's the risk you take with every fight in every division."
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Robert Whittaker wary of Nikita Krylov's power, but says movement is key