Robert Whittaker

ANALYSIS
Yes, Aliskerov entered with just two UFC bouts under his belt, but he's a supremely talented opponent, and Whittaker made this look entirely too easy. Rob unloaded a right hand that left Ikram stumbling before unloading everything but the kitchen sink. Referee Marc Goddard, right on top of the action, was forced to step in less than two minutes in. Whittaker didn't appear to be handling punishment all that well his last few fights, but he never got hit here so it's difficult to tell whether or not that trend would have continued. If UFC Middleweight Champion Dricus Du Plessis can get by Whittaker's arch-nemesis Israel Adesanya at UFC 205 in Perth, Australia this coming August, Rob could be next in line for a shot at the championship. Whittaker was knocked out by Du Plessis when the two first met last July. In the meantime, Whittaker will add another $50,000 Performance of the Night bonus to his long list of career accolades.

ANALYSIS
UFC President Dana White said that Khamzat Chimaev will no longer fight next Sunday due to being "violently ill". As a result, Aliskerov has withdrawn from fighting Antonio Trocoli at UFC Vegas 93 to take Chimaev's place. Whitaker and his new opponent will have minimal time preparing to headline the UFC's first event in Saudi Arabia. While not an undefeated prospect and receiving a significant challenge in competition, Aliskerov has a 15-1 MMA record (2-0 in the UFC), with his lone loss being to Chimaev.

ANALYSIS
Whittaker got back in the win column with a unanimous decision victory over Paulo Costa in February and will now take on Chimaev in what will presumably be a title eliminator at 185 pounds. The key for Whittaker here will be to remain upright, as he'll have the striking advantage. Chimaev will look to employ a wrestling-heavy attack to get this to the mat, but Whittaker does have a plenty respectable 82 percent takedown defense during his time with the UFC. Chimaev will be by far the toughest wrestler Whittaker has faced to date, however, so attacking on the feet early in the rounds will be vital, and takedown defense will undoubtedly be the primary focus of his camp.

ANALYSIS
It was a significant bounce-back performance from Whittaker on the heels of his first-round knockout loss to Dricus Du Plessis last July. Of course, Dricus has since gone on to win the UFC Middleweight Championship. As expected, Rob was the more technical striker the entire bout. He was the far more active man, as well, but he was nearly knocked out in the dying seconds of Round 1 after eating a Costa head kick. He recovered in between frames and proceeded to put together a solid final ten minutes to take the decision. Rob is now 33 years of age. He's been in countless wars over the years. He tends to get hit a bunch, even when he wins (like tonight), so durability is paramount if he hopes to remain in the title conversation at 185 pounds. This victory keeps him in the discussion despite the fact he's alternated wins and losses in his past four bouts.

ANALYSIS
Whittaker will have his chance to match up with Costa after the two had a previously scheduled fight fall through in December 2022. The 33-year-old Australian fighter is 15-5 during his time within the UFC, but he has lost two of his last three fights.