Nikita Krylov Makes Weight for UFC 333, But His Chin Remains the Biggest Question Mark

Nikita Krylov officially hit the scale at 206 pounds for UFC 333, which means the fight is on and his chin is officially back on the clock.

Making weight is usually the hard part for a veteran, but for Krylov, surviving the first round has become the actual uphill battle. He is stepping into the octagon against undefeated prospect Abdul-Rakhman Yakhyaev, and the oddsmakers are treating this less like a competitive martial arts contest and more like a scheduled demolition.

"MMA Fighting reported Krylov's official weigh-in at 206 pounds."

Yakhyaev is sitting at a massive -520 favorite at the betting window, while Krylov is a +390 underdog. That is the kind of price tag you usually see when a local guy gets pulled out of the crowd to fight a ranked contender. But Krylov is a 43-fight veteran who just cannot seem to stay conscious lately.

The 34-year-old has dropped three of his last four fights, with all three losses coming by brutal knockout. His last outing in July ended with Robert Whittaker breaking his jaw in the third round. Before that, Bogdan Guskov and Dominick Reyes both put him to sleep in the first round.

Meanwhile, Yakhyaev is 10-0 and has been running through his UFC opponents with terrifying efficiency. Krylov used to be a reliable grinder who could drag guys into deep water, but his durability has completely evaporated. When you are taking on an undefeated finisher, having a chin made of antique porcelain is a terrible business model.

Krylov will make the walk on Saturday night looking to prove he still belongs in the light heavyweight division. If he cannot survive the early onslaught from Yakhyaev, the UFC might finally decide it is time to stop booking him against guys who hit like freight trains.