Robert Whittaker confirmed he broke Nikita Krylov's jaw during their UFC 329 bout and showed no remorse, saying Krylov would have done the same to him. Whittaker matter-of-factly noted that getting hurt is part of the profession.
Robert Whittaker made no apologies on July 12, the day after UFC 329, after confirming he broke Nikita Krylov's jaw during their bout the previous evening. Speaking candidly, Whittaker acknowledged the injury without sympathy, noting that Krylov would have inflicted the same damage had the roles been reversed and that getting hurt is simply part of the profession.
Whittaker, nicknamed "The Reaper," carries a 28-9-0 record and competes at middleweight, where he is currently ranked sixth in the division. The 35-year-old Australian trains out of PMA Super Martial Arts and fights out of an orthodox stance. He stands six feet tall with a 73-inch reach and generates a high pace in the pocket, landing 4.41 significant strikes per minute.
Krylov, known as "The Miner," is a 34-year-old Ukrainian fighting out of Raty Team. He holds a 31-12-0 record and sits ranked 13th at light heavyweight, a division above where Whittaker competes. The six-foot-three Krylov carries a 77-inch reach and is a genuinely dangerous mixed-weapons threat, connecting at 54 percent striking accuracy while also averaging 2.19 takedowns and 1.1 submission attempts per 15 minutes.
Why it matters
- Whittaker's willingness to step up to light heavyweight and compete at this level signals the veteran's continued relevance across multiple weight classes
- Krylov's fractured jaw raises questions about his timeline for returning to the light heavyweight rankings, where his position at 13th already places him on the fringe
- The raw, unsentimental tone of Whittaker's comments underlines the professional mentality of an athlete with 37 fights of experience at the highest level
Saturday, July 11, 2026
