Ikram Aliskerov faced Robert Whittaker in the headline fight of the UFC’s inaugural event in Saudi Arabia at short notice this past weekend. Originally set to battle Antonio Trocoli at UFC Vegas 93, Aliskerov took a significant gamble that didn’t pay off as Whittaker secured a decisive victory with a quick knockout in less than two minutes. Despite the defeat, Aliskerov stands by his decision to step up and face the challenge.
In a tweet, Aliskerov expressed appreciation and said, “Alhamdulilla, no excuses. I have no regrets. It was a valuable experience competing against one of the sport’s best. I’m young, I’ll address my errors, learn, and return to action soon. Thank you to everyone for the supportive messages.”
Aliskerov, a former combat sambo world champion, is seen as one of the most promising fighters in the middleweight class. He made his UFC debut in 2023 with impressive knockout wins but faced his first defeat in the octagon against Whittaker. This loss represents only the second setback in his career, with the first being a knockout defeat to Khamzat Chimaev in Brave FC in 2019.
