Robert Whittaker says Chimaev unrecognizable

Robert Whittaker used the same week to address two separate developments in his UFC career: Khamzat Chimaev’s loss at UFC 328 and Whittaker’s own placement on the preliminary card for UFC 329. On May 22, MMA Junkie published Whittaker’s reaction to Chimaev’s split-decision title loss to Sean Strickland in Newark, New Jersey, where Whittaker said the fighter he watched looked “unrecognizable” from the one he had faced before. (mmajunkie.usatoday.com) That same day, Heavy reported Whittaker’s public response to being booked on the UFC 329 prelims, a rare spot for a former middleweight champion. The comments linked two parts of Whittaker’s recent trajectory. Chimaev had beaten Whittaker at UFC 308, but Chimaev then lost the middleweight title to Strickland at UFC 328 after fading early, according to MMA Junkie’s report. (sherdog.com) At the same time, Whittaker is preparing to move up a division for UFC 329, where he is scheduled to meet Nikita Krylov at light heavyweight. ### Why did Whittaker say Chimaev looked different? Robert Whittaker said the version of Khamzat Chimaev who fought Sean Strickland was not the same one he encountered in their own matchup. MMA Junkie reported that Whittaker said Chimaev looked “unrecognizable,” after watching him slow down in the UFC 328 title fight at Prudential Center in Newark. (mmajunkie.usatoday.com) Sean Strickland beat Chimaev by split decision at UFC 328 earlier in May, handing Chimaev his first loss and ending his middleweight title reign, according to search results summarizing the MMA Junkie report. Whittaker’s remarks were framed as a reaction to that drop-off in pace and pressure compared with the Chimaev who had previously beaten him. (mmajunkie.usatoday.com) ### What exactly had happened to Chimaev at UFC 328? Khamzat Chimaev entered UFC 328 as middleweight champion and left with a split-decision loss to Sean Strickland. Search summaries of the MMA Junkie story said Chimaev slowed down early in the fight, which was held in Newark, New Jersey. (mmajunkie.usatoday.com) Other coverage cited by search results said members of Chimaev’s team pointed to a difficult weight cut after the loss. Bloody Elbow’s summary of Whittaker’s interview said Arman Tsarukyan had described the cut as so severe that Chimaev wanted to stop during it. That explanation was presented by Chimaev’s side, not by Whittaker. (sports.yahoo.com) ### Why was Whittaker also talking about the UFC 329 prelims? Robert Whittaker is booked to fight Nikita Krylov on the UFC 329 undercard, and Heavy reported on May 22 that he publicly addressed the placement. Search results from Heavy and other outlets described it as Whittaker’s first appearance on a UFC preliminary card in 13 years. (mmajunkie.usatoday.com) Bloody Elbow’s summary of Whittaker’s Submission Radio appearance said he described the slot as “different” and suggested it “makes sense-ish.” That reaction reflected frustration, but also acknowledgment of the card’s structure, with Conor McGregor’s return against Max Holloway headlining UFC 329. ### What does UFC 329 mean for Whittaker now? (bloodyelbow.com) UFC 329 is scheduled for July 11 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas during International Fight Week, according to Sherdog and Heavy search results. Whittaker’s fight with Krylov is set to mark his light-heavyweight debut after his long run at middleweight. Whittaker enters that bout after back-to-back losses, with search summaries noting defeats to Chimaev and Reinier de Ridder. (heavy.com) The next concrete step is the Krylov fight on July 11, with Whittaker moving to 205 pounds on a card topped by McGregor’s return. (sherdog.com) (bloodyelbow.com)