Robert Whittaker cracks Nikita Krylov's jaw in 205-pound debut

Robert Whittaker stopped Nikita Krylov with a right hand that appeared to break the Russian's jaw at UFC 329, announcing his arrival at heavyweight/" class="internal-link text-bone underline decoration-ash/30 hover:decoration-gold underline-offset-2">light heavyweight with a decisive third-round knockout Saturday night at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

The former middleweight champion landed a stiff right that stunned Krylov, then followed with a second right that sent the Russian backing away and clutching his face. Krylov waved off the fight immediately, referee stepping in at 1:01 of the third. "Feast your eyes on that Reddit!" Whittaker said afterward, per MMA Fighting. "I came in nice and heavy and I hit as hard as anybody else. This is my home now. The middleweight page is closed."

How Whittaker solved Krylov's size advantage

Krylov held the wrestling edge early, muscling Whittaker against the cage and briefly taking him down in the opening round. But once the fighters separated, Whittaker's hand speed proved the difference. He connected with sharp jabs and quick combinations that Krylov — breathing heavily by the second round — could not match. As MMA Mania reported, Whittaker resembled Kelvin Gastelum at times while adjusting to his new frame, but the speed advantage was undeniable. He hurt Krylov multiple times in the second with right hands and blistering combinations, setting up the finish in the third.

Whittaker (27-9) enters his new weight class on a two-fight skid at middleweight, losses that pushed him out of title contention at 185 pounds. Krylov (31-12) falls to 9-8 in the UFC's heavyweight/" class="internal-link text-bone underline decoration-ash/30 hover:decoration-gold underline-offset-2">light heavyweight division, having snapped a two-fight losing streak with a knockout of Modestas Bukauskas in January. Whittaker is now ranked No. 14 at light heavyweight and likely in line for a top-10 opponent next, with Dominick Reyes a possible matchup.

Reported via:

• MMA Fighting — UFC 329 video: Robert Whittaker potentially breaks Nikita Krylov’s jaw in light heavyweight debut
• MMA Fighting — UFC 329 live blog: Robert Whittaker vs. Nikita Krylov
• MMA Mania — Highlights! Robert Whittaker cracks Nikita Krylov’s jaw in successful 205-pound debut | UFC 329