Robert Whittaker vs Bogdan Guskov set as UFC Sydney co-main event in February

Former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker will face Bogdan Guskov in a light heavyweight bout in the co-main event of UFC Sydney, the promotion announced on Sunday, November 1. The card takes place at Afterpay Arena in Sydney on Sunday, February 7, 2027, local time, which is Saturday, February 6 in the United States, where it streams live on Paramount+.

The UFC confirmed the matchup on its official X account, writing that the UFC Sydney co-main event is "locked in". The card is headlined by a lightweight clash between Australia's Quillan Salkilld and France's Benoit Saint Denis, which was announced last week.

Whittaker's homecoming

The fight will be Whittaker's first in Sydney since 2014, when he knocked out Clint Hester early in his UFC run, and his first in Australia since he lost the middleweight title to Israel Adesanya at UFC 243 in Melbourne in October 2019. Although he was born in New Zealand, Whittaker's family moved to the Sydney area when he was an infant, MMA Junkie noted.

Speaking to ABC News, the 35-year-old admitted the last Sydney fight is hard to recall. "It's hard to remember, to be honest. So much has happened since. I've ridden the rollercoaster," Whittaker said. "My friends and family can all be there. They can be a part of the whole journey without having to spend a billion bucks to be there."

He added that he hopes to bring his three eldest children this time. "They get to see their old man work for a living. I'm sure half the time they think I'm unemployed," he joked.

Second fight at 205 pounds

Whittaker (27-9) made his light heavyweight debut at UFC 329 in Las Vegas in July and stopped Nikita Krylov by third-round TKO, snapping a two-fight losing streak. He told ABC News that the move up has restored his confidence: "I'm definitely more confident in my ability to zip and zag and my ability to land power, to be faster, to have the confidence to shoot when I feel it." He also said he no longer needs to starve himself to make weight.

Guskov looks to rebound

Guskov (18-4-1) of Uzbekistan is coming off a fifth-round TKO loss to Magomed Ankalaev at UFC Abu Dhabi in July. "Hitman" had been scheduled to rematch Jan Blachowicz a week later but instead accepted the Abu Dhabi main event on short notice as a replacement for Khalil Rountree Jr. Before that defeat, Guskov had gone unbeaten in five straight bouts, a run that included a draw with Blachowicz.

What it means

For Whittaker, a win over a dangerous finisher in front of a home crowd would put him on a two-fight streak at light heavyweight and push him toward contender bouts in the division. For Guskov, it is a chance to bounce back from the Ankalaev loss against one of the most decorated names in the sport.

• Event: UFC Fight Night, Salkilld vs Saint Denis
• Venue: Afterpay Arena, Sydney, Australia
• Date: February 7, 2027 (local), February 6 (US)
• Co-main event: Robert Whittaker vs Bogdan Guskov, light heavyweight