Robert Whittaker, the former middleweight champion, was only a slight betting favorite against Ikram Aliskerov, an unranked fighter, in the main event of UFC Saudi Arabia. After all, Whittaker was an underdog against Khamzat Chimaev, his original opponent.
Moreover, Alikserov’s only defeat in professional MMA at the time was only to Chimaev. That didn’t bother Whittaker as he secured a first-round finish for Aliskerov, reminiscent of when the Chechen fought the Dagestani fighter.
Whittaker’s Uppercut KO Draws Comparisons to Chimaev’s
Khamzat Chimaev’s most challenging fight in MMA before he faced Gilbert Burns and Kamaru Usman was against Ikram Aliskerov. The Chechen couldn’t take the Dagestani down but eventually won via an uppercut KO. Incidentally, Whittaker also threw a similar uppercut before he finished the 31-year-old with follow-up strikes.
Whittaker spoke about a similar finishing sequence in his latest interview with Fox Sports Australia. “When I pushed him up against the fence and the head kick didn’t land because he was already floppy by that point, that clip [Chimaev’s KO of Aliskerov] played in my head. At the same time, it almost reminded me that that was a thing. And yeah, the rest is history,” said Whittaker.
“The Reaper” revealed about the knockout when Dan Hooker enquired whether he studied the move from Chimaev’s knockout of Alikserov. Hooker thought the Aussie had studied the move and used it against his UFC Saudi Arabia opponent. Though he didn’t plan on it, the Deja Vu moment pleasantly surprised the former middleweight champion.
As for his next fight, Whittaker revealed he won’t be fighting for a title shot. Moreover, he expressed interest in fighting one more time before 2024, possibly in October, November, or December. The number one middleweight, Sean Strickland, was reluctant to fight the Aussie, citing he would fight only for the title shot.
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