Former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker will fight up at light-heavyweight for the first time against Nikita Krylov at UFC 329 on Saturday night, and he’s acknowledged that the move does come with some risks attached to it.

“You see, power is the ultimate equaliser, and I understand that,” Whittaker said in a recent interview. “I understand that you don’t… It doesn’t matter how technical you are; if you get hit hard by a heavy dude, it’s going to hurt. So, I understand the risk and the threat. That is the danger of moving up to light heavyweight.

“But I believe my skill set is champion level. The speed that I have, the physicality that I have, are at a champion level, and I am going to bring them.”

The 35-year-old Whittaker had been hoping to make another run at the 185lb title before retiring, but back-to-back defeats against Khamzat chimaev and Reiner de Ridder put an end to that dream, so he’s now focusing on this new challenge up at 205lbs instead.

In Krylov he’ll certainly be facing a fighter who has the ability to knock him out as ‘The Miner’ has had a reputation as a finisher throughout his career, and is coming off a KO victory against Modestas Bukauskas in January.

That being said, it should also be noted that the 34-year-old Krylov suffered back-to-back KO losses last year after returning from a two-year layoff.