A new division. A new mindset. A new chapter.
That’s how Robert Whittaker is approaching his light heavyweight debut at UFC 329. Ahead of Saturday night’s showdown with Nikita Krylov, the former middleweight champion said that moving to 205 pounds has improved nearly every aspect of his career, from training camp to weight cutting to simply enjoying the sport again.
“The middleweight Rob Whittaker chapter has closed,” Whittaker told reporters including Cageside Press on Wednesday.
“I’m very happy as a light heavyweight. It is honestly life-changing. I recommend it to anybody.”
Contrary to popular belief, moving to light heavyweight doesn’t mean Whittaker gets to spend fight week crushing cheeseburgers and milkshakes. The weight cut is still there, but compared to his days at middleweight, he says it’s a completely different experience.
“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 much better for it,” he said.
While Whittaker has spent much of his career headlining events and fighting on main cards, his light heavyweight debut will come on the UFC 329 prelims. The former champion admitted his ego took a small hit at first, but it didn’t take long for him to embrace the positives.
“I guess at first I was a little butt hurt. Ego is a thing, but I quickly started seeing the silver lining. It’s less to do, earlier fight in and out sort of thing,” he said.
“But then I got shafted. I still have to do all the media that I normally do anyway. It’s cool, it’s an amazing card to be a part of. I’m thankful for the opportunity to be there. This is light heavyweight Rob Whittaker. I’m here to start…it’s a new chapter.”
Whittaker admitted the changes to his preparation went far beyond simply switching weight classes. From restructuring his training camp to surrounding himself with familiar faces during fight week, he believes the adjustments have completely changed the way he approaches competition.
“The big prompt into why I made so many changes was that I didn’t enjoy the last couple camps and the last couple fights. Things had to change otherwise I wasn’t going to continue,” he 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. It really is life-changing for me. I’m enjoying the journey.”
Whittaker remembers how grueling fight weeks could be during his welterweight and middleweight runs. It’s difficult to perform at your best when you’re miserable from the moment you arrive in fight week until the moment you leave the octagon.
“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, and I guess I’m just counting down the days until it’s over,” Whittaker said.
“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. I’m in a really good place right now.”
Watch the entire media day scrum with Robert Whittaker above. He faces Nikita Krylov at UFC 329 on Saturday night.
