Aliskerov Fills in as Chimaev Pulls Out of fight against Whittacker at UFC Saudi Arabia

(via Yahoo Sports)

Undefeated welterweight and middleweight prospect, Khamzat Chimaev has pulled out of his fight against former middleweight champion, Robert Whittaker at UFC Saudi Arabia. His replacement, however, has not nearly the star power that Chimaev possesses.

Ikram Aliskerov, Chimaev’s replacement, has established himself as a force in the middleweight division, but has not had the time to establish himself as Chimaev has. His opponents have not nearly reached the esteem of Whittaker, but are still wins over seasoned veterans.

Aliskerov made his way to the UFC through Dana White’s Contender Series, defeating Mario Souza via Kimura in the first round. He then went on to win his first two UFC fights against Phil Hawes and Warley Alves via TKO.

Without showing fans much of all in terms of fight time, Aliskerov has shown that he is a well rounded fighter, who is capable of finishing the fight no matter where it takes him. However, his opponent comes in with an experience advantage that any fighter would dream of.

Wittaker is one of the biggest unsung heroes of the UFC middleweight division. After transitioning from welterweight to middleweight in 2014, he has established himself as one of the best middleweights to ever do it. He has already captured interim and undispited gold in two fights against the terrifying Yoel Romero, and has only suffered losses to other middleweight champions. His most recent win came over a former middleweight title challenger, Paulo Costa, who Whittaker was able to systematically dismantle over the course of three rounds.

Chimaev, on the other hand, has this instance to refer to while examining the list of health problems he has had during his UFC tenure. Couple this with the major health scare he had during the COVID-19 pandemic, which nearly saw him end his entire career as a whole.

All time UFC great, Demitrious Johnson, believes that Chimaev’s career could very well end like former featherweight prospect, Zabit Magomedsharipov. Magomedsharipov’s career ended abruptly during the pandemic, as he quit fighting in pursuit of a career as a doctor. This was likely in part due to the injuries sustained during his mixed martial arts career.

Although it remains to be seen if Chimaev’s career is set back due to his health, his favor among fans will likely prove to be a huge factor in his return. His presence at UFC Saudi Arabia will be missed, but his aura still radiates throughout the crowds of UFC fans worldwide.