UFC Saudi Arabia
Peter Maiorano

Saudi Arabia Welcomes UFC Fight Night: Whittaker vs. Aliskerov

UFC Fight Night takes place at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, this Saturday. The main event features Middleweights Robert Whittaker and Ikram Aliskerov. Originally, Whittaker was set to face Khamzat Chimaev, but the main event was reshuffled when Chimaev withdrew due to an undisclosed illness. This unexpected change brings an exciting match-up to the octagon.

Main Event – Middleweight Bout

#3 Robert Whittaker (26-7) vs. Ikram Aliskerov (15-1)

Whittaker, a former Middleweight Champion, has suffered defeats to Israel Adesanya (twice) and a technical knockout by Dricus Du Plessis in a No. 1 contender bout last year. However, victories over Paulo Costa, Marvin Vettori, Kelvin Gastelum, and Jared Cannonier validate his high ranking in the division.

Aliskerov’s record stands at an impressive 15-1, with his only loss to Khamzat Chimaev in 2019. His UFC wins include stoppages of Phil Hawes and Warlley Alves. Stepping in on short notice, Aliskerov aims to prove he belongs among the division’s elite. Ikram will be looking to start this match strong, but Whitaker’s experience is sure to take over as cruises to a decision victory.

Co-Main Event Heavyweight Bout

#3 Sergei Pavlovich (18-2) vs. #5 Alexander Volkov (37-10)

Pavlovich looks to bounce back from a knockout loss to Tom Aspinall as he faces Volkov in the co-main event. Volkov also suffered a loss to Aspinall in 2022. Pavlovich has been involved in nine straight matches that did not go past the first round and has a significant four-inch reach advantage, which could be decisive. Volkov has great grappling skills, but will not want this fight to go to the ground. This could turn into a punch-for-punch battle with Volkov likely attempting a flurry of kicks. Ultimately, Pavlovich’s reach will keep Volkov at a distance, leading to a knockout in the first round.

UFC Saudi Arabia

Thank you for reading my UFC Saudi Arabia article. Without a doubt, our combat sports page is your premier destination for all things fighting. Head to Pete’s Sports UFC Page and follow me on Twitter/X. For UFC/MMA/Boxing and all other sports articles check out Pete’s Sports Blog. Please go to my You Tube Channel where you can subscribe to my videos. Images credit UFC.

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