UFC Fight Night: Robert Whittaker vs. Ikram Aliskerov Results & Highlights

The UFC made its first trip to Saudi Arabia over the weekend.
(Zuffa LLC)

The UFC Octagon touched down in Saudi Arabia on Saturday (June 22) for a stacked UFC Fight Night event at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh.

UFC Star Michael Chandler Opens Door on Potential BMF Title Fight

The main event was supposed to see the unbeaten Khamzat Chimaev square off with former Middleweight Champion Robert Whittaker, but health issues unfortunately forced “Borz” to withdraw less than two weeks before the event. Ikram Aliskerov was luckily able to step up and replace Chimaev on short notice, but the 31-year-old ended up on the wrong end of a brutal first-round KO that put Whittaker right back into middleweight title contention.

The night’s co-main event was a massive heavyweight tilt featuring Sergei Pavlovich and Alexander Volkov. Pavlovich was coming off a failed bid to win the interim heavyweight belt against Tom Aspinall at UFC 295, but he ended up suffering his second loss in a row when he dropped a decision to Volkov, who is now on a four-fight win streak.

The rest of the main card saw Kelvin Gastelum defeat Daniel Rodriguez in a middleweight bout after Gastelum had difficulties making the cut to welterweight. Shara Magomedov also gave Antonio Trócoli a rude welcome to the Octagon when he stopped the Brazilian with strikes in the third round, and Volkan Oezdemir kicked the main card action off with a violent first-round KO against Johnny Walker.

UFC Saudi Arabia: Debutant Comes Clean on Steroid Use in Failed Drug Test

You can check out the highlights from all the action below, followed by full results from every matchup at UFC Fight Night Saudi Arabia.

Chang Ho Lee def. Long Xiao

Magomed Gadzhiyasulov def. Brendson Ribeiro

Muin Gafurov def. Kyung Ho Kang

Rinat Fakhretdinov def. Nicolas Dalby

Felipe Lima def. Muhammad Naimov

Nasrat Haqparast def. Jared Gordon

Volkan Oezdemir def. Johnny Walker

Shara Magomedov def. Antonio Trócoli

Kelvin Gastelum def. Daniel Rodriguez

Alexander Volkov def. Sergei Pavlovich

Robert Whittaker def. Ikram Aliskerov

Main Card (ABC/ESPN+, 3:00 p.m. ET)

Main Event: Robert Whittaker def. Ikram Aliskerov via KO: R1, 1:49

Co-Main Event: Alexander Volkov def. Sergei Pavlovich via Unanimous Decision (30-27x2, 29-28)

• Kelvin Gastelum def. Daniel Rodriguez via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 30-27x2)

• Shara Magomedov def. Antonio Trócoli via KO: R3, 2:27

• Volkan Oezdemir def. Johnny Walker via KO: R1, 2:28

Preliminary Card (ESPN/ESPN+ 12:00 p.m. ET)

• Nasrat Haqparast def. Jared Gordon via Split Decision (29-28x2, 28-29)

• Felipe Lima def. Muhammad Naimov via Submission (Rear Naked Choke): R3, 1:15

• Rinat Fakhretdinov def. Nicolas Dalby via Split Decision (29-28x2, 28-29)

• Muin Gafurov def. Kyung Ho Kang via Unanimous Decision (30-27x3)

• Magomed Gadzhiyasulov def. Brendson Ribeiro via Majority Decision (29-28x2, 28-28)

• Chang Ho Lee def. Long Xiao via Split Decision (29-28x2, 28-29)

UFC News: Kamaru Usman Names Rival That Had Him 'Super Nervous' During Title Run

Stick with MMA Knockout for daily coverage of the UFC, MMA, WWE, and AEW. 

Follow MMA Knockout on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.


Published |Modified
Drew Beaupre
DREW BEAUPRE

Drew is an MMA writer that regularly watches regional events in addition to major promotions such as the UFC, PFL, Bellator, and ONE Championship. He joined MMA Knockout when it was founded in 2023.