UFC 329 live blog: Robert Whittaker vs. Nikita Krylov

Robert Whittaker made a successful light heavyweight debut, defeating Nikita Krylov by TKO in the third round at UFC 329.

Whittaker, the former UFC middleweight champion currently ranked No. 12 at 185 pounds, moved up two divisions to face No. 14-ranked light heavyweight Krylov in a preliminary bout. The matchup marked a fresh start for Whittaker (26-9), who had lost his past two fights and was looking to reinvigorate his career after a rough stretch.

Krylov (31-11) came in as a proven stalwart at light heavyweight with a 9-7 UFC record in the division, having snapped a two-fight skid with a third-round knockout last January.

The fight was competitive through two rounds, with Krylov using wrestling and clinch work to control stretches while Whittaker found success with his boxing. In Round 1, the two exchanged strikes before Krylov shot takedowns and worked against the fence, though Whittaker escaped. MMA Fighting scored it 10-9 Krylov.

Round 2 saw Whittaker improve, landing solid jabs and right hands. When he hurt Krylov midway through with a straight right, Krylov recovered but Whittaker clearly gained momentum. The round was scored 10-9 Whittaker, evening the bout at 19-19.

Whittaker took over in Round 3, with his faster boxing overwhelming Krylov. When Whittaker hurt him again with a right hand, Krylov appeared to give up on his feet—possibly indicating a broken jaw—and the referee stopped the fight.