Former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker proved that there are levels to the UFC’s 185-pound division with a blistering first-round finish of rising Russian prospect Ikram Aliskerov in the main event of UFC Saudi Arabia.
Aliskerov was drafted in on a couple of weeks’ notice after Whittaker’s original opponent Khamzat Chimaev was taken ill during training camp. It meant “The Reaper” was left with a fight against a dangerous prospect with little upside. But, when fight night rolled around, Whittaker proved just how far ahead he was with a brilliant performance to finish Aliskerov in just 109 seconds to show the world that he’s still at the top of his game.
After that victory, Whittaker declared himself as the best 185-pounder on the planet.
“I told you. I told everybody, I’m the bogeyman,” he told Daniel Cormier in his post-fight interview.
“I’m the best in the world, and I’m the most dangerous matchup for anybody in this division.”
When Cormier asked him why he agreed to take on such a tricky short-notice assignment when plenty of others may have said no, Whittaker declared, “Because I’m the best in the world, mate. I’m the most dangerous middleweight in the world. I’ll take a fight anywhere, any time, and I proved it tonight, and I’ll prove it again. I’ll fight ANYONE!”
Russian heavyweights collided in the co-main event, as Alexander Volkov scored something of an upset victory over top contender Sergei Pavlovich after taking him all three rounds for the first time in Pavlovich’s career.
Volkov fought to a smart gameplan as he kickboxed from the outside, and largely nullified Pavlovich’s power and strength up close to earn scores of 30-27, 30-27, 29-28 and elevate his stock in the UFC heavyweight division.
Also on the main card, there was a unanimous decision victory for Kelvin Gastelum against Daniel Rodriguez after a bout that saw the weight class changed late during fight week after Gastelum reported issues with his weight cut.
It meant that Rodriguez, who was already cutting to make 170 pounds, was left with the option of accepting a middleweight fight or losing out on the matchup altogether. Rodriguez took the fight and acquitted himself well, but ended up on the wrong end of a unanimous decision. As for Gastelum, questions must now surely be asked over his viability as a UFC welterweight moving forward.
The main card also saw a big win for Shara Magomedov, who stopped Brazilian Antonio Trocoli in the third round while, in the main card opener, former UFC light heavyweight title challenger Volkan Oezdemir continued his journey back to the top of the contenders’ list with a first-round knockout of Johnny Walker.
Oezdemir kept his cool and applied patient pressure to force Walker back towards the fence, then finished him with heavy punches to score a devastating knockout, then put the rest of the division on notice as he verbalised his quest to get back to a title shot once again.
UFC Saudi Arabia: Official results
MAIN CARD
- Robert Whittaker def. Ikram Aliskerov via knockout (punch) – Round 1, 1:49
- Alexander Volkov def. Sergei Pavlovich via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
- Kelvin Gastelum def. Daniel Rodriguez via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27 30-27)
- Shara Magomedov def. Antonio Trocoli via TKO (punches) – Round 3, 2:27
- Volkan Oezdemir def. Johnny Walker via knockout (punches) – Round 1, 2:28
PRELIMINARY CARD
- Nasrat Haqparast def. Jared Gordon via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
- Felipe Lima def. Muhammad Naimov via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 3, 1:15
- Rinat Fakhretdinov def. Nicolas Dalby via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
- Muin Gafurov def. Kyung Ho Kang via decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
- Magomed Gadzhiyasulov def. Brendson Ribeiro via majority decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-28)
- ChangHo Lee def. Xiao Long via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28) – Road to UFC bantamweight tournament final
