UFC Saudi Arabia recently witnessed an intense battle between Robert Whittaker and Ikram Aliskerov, with Whittaker emerging victorious in a hard-fought match. Whittaker, a seasoned fighter with impressive skills, showcased his expertise in the octagon as he outperformed his opponent.
Aliskerov, on the other hand, displayed great determination and resilience throughout the fight, but was ultimately unable to match Whittaker's technique and strategy. The crowd was on the edge of their seats as both fighters exchanged blows and demonstrated their strength and agility.
Whittaker was originally slated to face 11th-ranked Khamzat Chimaev in the headlining bout but Chimaev was forced to withdrawal due to illness. Whittaker will enter the fight coming off a decision win over Paulo Costa at UFC 298 in February. Aliskerov is riding a seven-fight winning streak with his only career loss coming to Chimaev.
The former champion stopped replacement opponent Ikram Aliskerov with a vicious first-round KO of the rising star at the UFC's card in Saudi Arabia on Saturday, improving his record to 26-7. The loss ended a seven-fight win streak for Aliskerov.
Whittaker stunned him a little over a minute into the fight with a counter right hand. The shot put Aliskerov on skates, and Whittaker followed with a jab that sent him reeling back to the fence. Whittaker followed him to the cage and threw a perfect right uppercut that basically ended the fight. Referee Marc Goddard gave Aliskerov one final chance to recover on his knees, but it was clear he was done.
Whittaker now has some options in a division that has seen some flux lately. He's still looking for a title shot and rematch against du Plessis, but a bout against Sean Strickland, another former champ, could also be an attractive option. At worst, he'll be a brutal challenge for any upstart the UFC wants to throw at him.
A loss would have been a major setback for Whittaker. He has been nearly unbeatable at middleweight; however, his three losses in the UFC division have come against current champion Dricus Du Plessis and former champion Israel Adesanya, who are scheduled to fight at UFC 305 in August in Perth, Australia. This victory at least keeps Whittaker in the title conversation for the foreseeable future.
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