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Following the first UFC event in Saudi Arabia on Saturday, the big winners from the fight card answered questions from the media during the post-fight press conference.  

The event was headlined by a middleweight bout between former champion Robert Whittaker and rising prospect Ikram Aliskerov.  Whittaker defeated the Dagestan fighter in the first round by knockout.  In the co-main event, Alexander Volkov defeated Sergei Pavlovich via unanimous decision.

UFC Saudi Arabia Post-Fight Press Conference

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Following the conclusion of their first event in Saudi Arabia on Saturday, UFC officials announced the recipients of the coveted performance-based bonuses.  Four fighters were awarded an extra $ 50,000 for their octagon performance: Robert Whittaker Volkan Oezdemir, Shara Magomedov, and Felipe Lima.   

Performance Of The Night: Robert Whittaker

Making good on his promise to fight anyone, anywhere, Robert Whittaker didn’t back down when faced with dangerous newcomer Ikram Aliskerov as a short-notice replacement for Khamzat Chimaev. He didn’t even need a full two minutes to find the chin of his opponent with a swift uppercut that rocked the man riding a 7-fight win streak into the main event. Whittaker noted he’d be interested in being the backup fighter for the middleweight championship fight in Perth this August, and after peformances like this, who in their right mind would say no?

Performance Of The Night: Volkan Oezdemir

It was hard to be more succinct than Jon Anik when he yelled “Volkan Oezdemir stretchers Johnny Walker!” halfway through the first round of the first fight of the main card. Everyone knew the explosive potential of the bout going into it, but the result and the way it played out still managed to be completely surprising. “No Time is back” declared Oezdemir. Indeed.

Performance Of The Night: Shara Magomedov

Despite being a short-notice replacement, Antonio Trocoli’s size and strength kept him in the heat of the action for most of the scheduled fifteen minutes, but the undefeated Shara “Bullet” Magomedov appears to be every bit of the unstoppable freight train he has been touted as, halting his opponent by vicious knockout late in the final frame.

Performance Of The Night: Felipe Lima

The first finish of the UFC Saudi Arabia prelims was fittingly the first win the UFC career of the young Brazilian Felipe Lima who made his short-notice UFC debut against an incredible game Muhammad Naimov who led on the scorecards before Lima saw his opening for the rear naked choke. “It was a rollercoaster,” said Lima, who only got the phone call on Monday to join the promotion. “But I’m very happy.”

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 A middleweight clash between former champion Robert Whittaker and rising prospect Ikram Aliskerov headlined the UFC’s first event in Saudi Arabia.

Whittaker was originally slated to face 11th-ranked Khamzat Chimaev in the headlining bout but Chimaev was forced to withdrawal due to illness. Whittaker entered the fight coming off a decision win over Paulo Costa at UFC 298 in February. Aliskerov was riding a seven-fight winning streak with his only career loss coming to Chimaev. 

The two touched gloves and Aliskerov came up short on a front kick.  Whittaker pressed forward with a jab.  Whittaker landed a leg kick but Aliskerov countered with a right hand.  Whittaker connected with his jab and Aliskerov reacted with a leg kick.  Whittaker connected with a right hand that wobbled Aliskerov.  He barely missed with a head kick.  A uppercut dropped the Dagestan fighter.  A few left hands ended the fight forcing referee Marc Goddard to stop the fight.  The official time of the finish was 1:49 of the first round.  

“I told you.  I told everybody.  I’m the boogeyman.  I’m the best in the world and I’m the most dangerous matchup for anyone in the division,” Whittaker said in his post-fight interview.  “I’m the most dangerous middleweight in the world.  I’ll take a fight anywhere, anytime, and I proved it tonight.  I’ll prove it again.  I’ll fight anyone.”      

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For the first time, the UFC octagon is in Saudi Arabia.  Kingdom Arena in Riyadh hosts Saturday’s fight card.  The event is headlined by a middleweight bout between former champion Robert Whittaker and fast-rising Ikram Aliskerov.  

Whittaker was originally slated to face 11th-ranked Khamzat Chimaev in the headlining bout but Chimaev was forced to withdrawal due to illness. Whittaker will enter the fight coming off a decision win over Paulo Costa at UFC 298 in February. Aliskerov is riding a seven-fight winning streak with his only career loss coming to Chimaev. 

Start Time:

• Main Card begins at 3 p.m. ET (on ABC and ESPN+

• Preliminary Card begins at Noon ET on ESPN/ESPN+

UFC Saudi Arabia Live Results and Fight Analytics

UFC Saudi Arabia Official Results

Main Card (on ABC and ESPN+ at 3 p.m. ET

• Robert Whittaker vs. Ikram Aliskerov
• Sergei Pavlovich vs. Alexander Volkov
• Kelvin Gastelum vs. Daniel Rodriguez
• Sharabutdin Magomedov vs. Antonio Trocoli
• Johnny Walker vs. Volkan Oezdemir

Preliminary Card (on ESPN/ESPN+ at Noon ET)

• Nasrat Haqparast vs. Jared Gordon
• Muhammad Naimov vs. Felipe Lima
• Rinat Fakhretdinov vs. Nicolas Dalby
• Kang Kyung-ho vs. Muin Gafurov
• Magomed Gadzhiyasulov vs. Brendson Ribeiro
• Xiao Long vs. Lee Chang-ho

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Conor McGregor has made a wild revelation about why Michael Chandler is right to wait for their highly-anticipated matchup.

Chandler has been waiting in limbo for his fight against McGregor since they were rival coaches on the 31st season of The Ultimate Fighter. One year later and fans believe Chandler is making a mistake by waiting for the blockbuster fight, but the Irishman disagrees.

While discussing his potential next outing, Conor McGregor insisted that Michael Chandler was making a good decision to sit on the sidelines prior to their clash.

“Chandler is getting paid 10x of what his contract states for other fights,” McGregor claimed on social media. “Meaning he would need to fight 10 fights to make what he would make in this one. I’m the one.”

“For those saying he could have fought 2 or 3 times by now etc. He’d need 10 to break even with this cheque.”

For those saying he could have fought 2 or 3 times by now etc. He’d need 10 to break even with this cheque.

— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) June 21, 2024

Doubts began surrounding the fight after the delays began piling up. Following a long period of uncertainty, it looked like Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler would finally get underway. 

Related: Michael Chandler unphased by Conor McGregor fight doubt

The bout was scheduled to headline the UFC 303 pay-per-view on June 29. Just two weeks before the pair would make their walk to the cage, disaster struck once again.

McGregor was forced out of the fight due to injury — for the first time of his career — and Chandler again has some serious questions to answer about the remainder of his time in the sport.

Alex Pereira and Jiri Prochazka both stepped up on short notice and will now serve as the new UFC 303 main event. Despite no longer featuring at the event Michael Chandler will still turn up on the night.

According to Chandler, he made a vow to show up on June 29th and will follow through with his promise.

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The fighters participating on the UFC Saudi Arabia fight card on Saturday officially weighed in on Friday morning in Riyadh.  On Friday afternoon, the athletes took part in the event’s ceremonial weigh-in.  

Saturday’s fights take place in Kingdom Arena and the fight card headlined by a middleweight bout between former champion Robert Whittaker and Ikram Aliskerov.  The event will mark the fight promotion’s first trip to Saudi Arabia.  

UFC Saudi Arabia Ceremonial Weigh-In

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For the first time, the octagon is in Saudi Arabia for this weekend’s UFC event.  Kingdom Arena in Riyadh hosts Saturday’s fight card.  On Friday morning, the fighters competing at the event officially weighed in.

The event is headlined by a middleweight bout between former champion Robert Whittaker (25-7) and fast-rising Ikram Aliskerov (15-1).  Whittaker was the first fighter to step on the scale and weight 186 pounds.  Aliskerov was the second fighter to weigh-in, tipping the scale at 184 pounds.   

Whittaker was originally slated to face 11th-ranked Khamzat Chimaev in the headlining bout but Chimaev was forced to withdrawal due to illness.  Whittaker will enter the fight coming off a decision win over Paulo Costa at UFC 298 in February. Aliskerov is riding a seven-fight winning streak with his only career loss coming to Chimaev. 

UFC Saudi Arabia Official Weigh-In Results

Main Card (on ABC and ESPN+ at 3 p.m. ET

• Robert Whittaker (186) vs. Ikram Aliskerov (184)
• Sergei Pavlovich (260) vs. Alexander Volkov (258)
• Kelvin Gastelum (184.5) vs. Daniel Rodriguez (184)
• Sharabutdin Magomedov (185.5) vs. Antonio Trocoli (185.5)
• Johnny Walker (206) vs. Volkan Oezdemir (206)

Preliminary Card (on ESPN/ESPN+ at Noon ET)

• Nasrat Haqparast (156) vs. Jared Gordon (156)
• Muhammad Naimov (145.5) vs. Felipe Lima (145.5)
• Rinat Fakhretdinov (170.5) vs. Nicolas Dalby (171)
• Kang Kyung-ho (136) vs. Muin Gafurov (136)
• Magomed Gadzhiyasulov (205) vs. Brendson Ribeiro (205)
• Xiao Long (136) vs. Lee Chang-ho (136)

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Daniel Rodriguez and Kelvin Gastelum were originally slated to fight on the UFC Saudi Arabia main card in a welterweight contest.  The match will now take place in the middleweight division after Gastelum had issued cutting weight.  

Gastelulm has missed weight several times in the past and had returned to the welterweight division in his last fight in December.  During the UFC Saudi Arabia Media Day, Rodriguez explained the situation and said that he ‘lost a little respect’ for Gastelum because of it.  

“Matchmakers reached out and I tried to get it to a catchweight, but he must be having such a bad fight camp that he can’t even make 180. It’s been 13 weeks since I found out about this fight. I’m sure he has, too. So the fact that he’s saying that he’s having a bad fight camp makes no sense. I feel like it’s lack of discipline. I don’t know if Kelvin Gastelum is having a bad fight camp or he’s just being lazy and doesn’t want to make the weight,” Rodriguez said.  

“I already agreed to 185. I’m so invested in this fight. It put me in a really tough spot. I need this fight to happen. It’s been such a long fight camp and I did agree to take a percentage of his purse, which is only fair. I just felt like 180 would have been a good weight, but it’s not my first time coming through for the company, and I want the UFC to know that I’m that guy that’s going to make the sacrifices even if it’s not in my favor,” Rodriguez continued.  “In the sense of being a professional, I feel like I lost a little respect for the guy.”

Saturday marks the fight promotion’s first trip to Saudi Arabia.  The event is headlined by a middleweight bout between former champion Robert Whittaker and rising star Ikram Aliskerov.

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Jake Paul was scheduled to box former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas on July 20, but a health issue forced Tyson to postpone their match until Nov. 15.  Paul could have waited until November for the blockbuster showdown but opted to fight on the original July 20 date against former UFC welterweight and undefeated bare-knuckle fighter Mike Perry.  

Paul is coming off a first-round knockout win over Ryan Bourland in March. He’s 9-1 as a professional boxer. Perry rejuvenated his career after leaving the UFC in 2021. He was signed by Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) and is undefeated in the fight promotion with wins over former UFC champions Eddie Alvarez and Luke Rockhold. Perry last fought in April, stopping Thiago Alves in the first round. He also holds a BKFC win over Michael “Venom” Page.

Perry is a dangerous fighter, and Paul wanted to face him to gain experience before stepping in the ring with Tyson later this year.  While Paul says that he respects Perry as a fighter, he plans on using him as a stepping stone.  

“I’m on a tear.  I’m not slowing down for anybody, if people want to delay fights.  I’ve got to get my experience in the ring.  I love fighting.  I love going under the bright lights, and I love putting on shows for the fans.  I will become world champion, but to do that I need experience,” Paul said during an appearance on The MMA Hour.  

Related: Daniel Cormier: ‘Jake Paul gets beat on July 20’

“And Mike Tyson is an absolute killer, so I do want to face another absolute killer,” Paul continued.  “Don’t get it wrong.  I think Mike Perry is funny.  It’s entertaining and stuff, but he is a savage and I do respect him as a fighter.  I know how good he is and how tough he is, and I want to challenge myself in preparation for the Mike Tyson (fight).  I was scared going up against Mike Tyson.  I was unsure, but this can be almost a stepping stone in the right direction and get me more time and preparation.  Hopefully Mike Perry can last and give me some good eight rounds, but we’ll see what happens.

“I don’t think he has what it takes to last that long.  But that’s why I took this fight.  I need the experience.  I need tough guys, and I love putting on shows for the fans.”

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On Saturday, the UFC will hold the fight promotion’s debut event in Saudi Arabia.  A middleweight bout between former champion Robert Whittaker and Ikram Aliskerov.  Whittaker was originally slated to face 11th-ranked Khamzat Chimaev in the headlining bout but Chimaev was forced to withdrawal due to illness.  

Whittaker (25-7) will enter the fight coming off a decision win over Paulo Costa at UFC 298 in February.  Aliskerov (15-1) is riding a seven-fight winning streak with his only career loss coming to Chimaev.  Former two-time middleweight champion Israel Adesanya believes Whittaker is going to   

“He (Aliskerov) already fought Khamzat and lost to Khamzat by knockout.  But, good wrestler,” Adesanya said on his YouTube channel.  “Rob, he was ready to wrestle for this fight anyway, so the wrestling is going to be f***ing top tier in this fight I think.”

“I like this fight.  It’s a banger of a fight,” Adesanya continued.  “But also, this guy (Aliskerov), who did he last beat?  Warlley Alves.  Big step up in competition, though, against Rob.  Rob, a former champion, still on a hunt, still dangerous.  I’m picking Rob in this fight.  I think Rob’s going to beat the brakes off this guy.”

“We haven’t seen him (Aliskerov) against competition like this yet.  I just know how good Rob is, so I’m going to go Rob probably (round) three or four (by) TKO.”    

Adesanya hasn’t fought since losing the title to Sean Strickland at UFC 293 last September.  He recently inked a bout agreement to fight champion Dricus Du Plessis in the UFC 305 main event on Aug. 18 in Perth, Australia.  He’ll have the opportunity to become a three-time middleweight titleholder.      

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