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The former champion is on the brink of another opportunity to reclaim the middleweight title. At the official weigh-ins for UFC Saudi Arabia, held in Riyadh, Robert Whittaker was the first to hit the scale, weighing in at 186 pounds for Saturday’s main event. His short-notice opponent, Ikram Aliskerov, also made weight, registering at 184 pounds.
Aliskerov stepped in with just a week's notice to substitute an ill Khamzat Chimaev. Originally set to fight in the co-main event of UFC Vegas 93, Aliskerov now meets a tough challenge in Whittaker. Despite the short preparation time, both fighters are geared up for an intense battle.
In a positive turn for UFC officials, all 22 fighters scheduled for UFC Saudi Arabia successfully made weight. This comes as a solace after several previous bouts were altered or canceled. The only weigh-in drama this week involved Kelvin Gastelum, who admitted he was struggling to make the 170-pound limit. Gastelum, who recently moved back to welterweight after previous struggles with weight cuts, requested his bout against Daniel Rodriguez be changed to a middleweight fight. Both fighters made weight, with Gastelum at 184.5 pounds and Rodriguez at 184 pounds.
Here are the official UFC Saudi Arabia weigh-in results:
Main Card:
Robert Whittaker (186) vs. Ikram Aliskerov (184)
Sergei Pavlovich (260) vs. Alexander Volkov (258)
Kelvin Gastelum (184.5) vs. Daniel Rodriguez (184)
Shara Magomedov (185.5) vs. Antonio Trocoli (185.5)
Johnny Walker (206) vs. Volkan Oezdemir (206)
Preliminary Card:
Nasrat Haqparast (156) vs. Jared Gordon (156)
Muhammad Naimov (145.5) vs. Felipe Lima (145.5)
Rinat Fakhretdinov (170.5) vs. Nicolas Dalby (171)
Kyung Ho Kang (136) vs. Muin Gafurov (136)
Magomed Gadzhiyasulov (205) vs. Brendson Ribeiro (205)
Xiao Long (136) vs. Chang Ho Lee (136)
With all fighters successfully making weight, UFC Saudi Arabia is set for a thrilling night of fights. Fans can look forward to a series of exciting matchups, headlined by the clash between Whittaker and Aliskerov.
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