In the primary occasion of UFC Saudi Arabia on Saturday, middleweights threw down as Robert Whittaker took on Ikram Aliskerov, who stepped up on brief discover.
Whittaker entered the combat coming off a call win over Paulo Costa again in February to return to the win column after a TKO loss to Dricus Du Plessis. Aliskerov, in the meantime, was coming off a KO win over Warlley Alves after he knocked out Phil Hawes in his debut.
Finally, it was Whittaker who made fast work of the unranked middleweight as he scored a first-round knockout win over Aliskerov. Following UFC Saudi Arabia, here’s what I feel needs to be subsequent for each fighters concerned in the primary occasion.
Robert Whittaker
Robert Whittaker took an enormous danger by taking up the unranked Ikram Aliskerov on brief discover. Had Whittaker misplaced, it seemingly would have ended any hope of him combating for the middleweight title once more. Nonetheless, Whittaker proved he nonetheless is a top-ranked middleweight with a KO win over Aliskerov.
With Israel Adesanya set to face Dricus Du Plessis for the middleweight title in August, Whittaker could possibly be the backup for the combat. Though the Aussie has a shot at getting the following middleweight title combat, however Whittaker ought to face Sean Strickland subsequent day out as a No. 1 contender.
Whittaker vs. Strickland may function a Battle Evening essential occasion later this summer season or fall, or be a five-round combat on a pay-per-view. Regardless, it’s a combat many followers wish to see and it ought to occur subsequent to find out the following title contender.
Ikram Aliskerov
Ikram Aliskerov is in a singular spot within the division that he’s unranked however simply headlined a card in opposition to the third-ranked middleweight contender.
Aliskerov nonetheless ought to get one other ranked opponent subsequent to actually gauge simply how good he’s. One logical matchup is to face Chris Curtis who’s ranked fifteenth and is coming off a loss to Brendan Allen. Though Curtis suffered an harm, Aliskerov can even seemingly want time without work to heal up after the KO loss so the combat can occur on the finish of the 12 months in what needs to be a enjoyable placing battle.