Nikita Krylov predicts Robert Whittaker will fail at 205

Nikita Krylov expects Robert Whittaker's light heavyweight debut to end the same way Israel Adesanya's did.

Whittaker moves up to 205 pounds Saturday at UFC 329 in Las Vegas to face Krylov, and the Ukrainian-born Russian sees a failed experiment ahead. While the former middleweight champion may envision a Pereira-style reinvention at light heavyweight, Krylov told Red Corner MMA that a one-and-done showing like Adesanya's 2021 title loss to Jan Blachowicz is more likely. Chris Weidman's brief move up in 2019 offers another cautionary tale, per Krylov, who stopped the American's light heavyweight run with a loss to Dominick Reyes.

Krylov sees Whittaker joining list of failed 205-pound converts

"It looks like he wants to move up like Alex Pereira. But I think it may end up the way it did in Adesanya's case," Krylov said, according to the report. "Jan Blachowicz beat Israel Adesanya; Dominick Reyes beat Chris Weidman; I'd like to see something similar for Robert as well."

Whittaker arrives at light heavyweight after consecutive losses to Khamzat Chimaev and Reinier de Ridder dropped him out of middleweight title contention. The Australian has not held UFC gold since Adesanya dethroned him in 2019. Krylov, meanwhile, owns a 6-6 Octagon record since returning to the promotion in 2018 and rebounded from back-to-back defeats with a finish of Modestas Bukauskas in his last outing.

UFC 329 airs Saturday from T-Mobile Arena with the Krylov-Whittaker bout on the main card.

Reported via:

• Sherdog — Nikita Krylov predicts Robert Whittaker's light heavyweight move will fail