| UFC on ABC: Whittaker vs. Aliskerov | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 The poster for UFC on ABC: Whittaker vs. Aliskerov | ||||
| Information | ||||
| Promotion | Ultimate Fighting Championship | |||
| Date | June 22, 2024 | |||
| Venue | Kingdom Arena | |||
| City | Riyadh, Saudi Arabia | |||
| Attendance | Not announced [1] | |||
| Event chronology | ||||
| ||||
UFC on ABC: Whittaker vs. Aliskerov (also known as UFC on ABC 6) was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on June 22, 2024, at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. [2]
The promotion was originally expected to make its Saudi Arabia debut at an event on March 2, 2024, [3] [4] but on January 24, Saudi Arabia's chairman of General Entertainment Authority Turki Alalshikh announced the event had been officially postponed until this date, citing "a decision to reschedule was taken to ensure the best caliber of talent will be available to participate". [2]
A middleweight title eliminator bout between former UFC Middleweight Champion (also The Ultimate Fighter: The Smashes welterweight winner) Robert Whittaker and Khamzat Chimaev was expected to headline the event. [5] However, Chimaev withdrew due to an illness and was replaced by Ikram Aliskerov, who was scheduled to fight a week earlier at UFC on ESPN: Perez vs. Taira. [6]
A middleweight bout between Sharabutdin Magomedov and Ihor Potieria was expected to take place at the event. [5] However, Potieria was pulled to face Michel Pereira at UFC 301. [7] He was replaced by promotional newcomer Joilton Lutterbach. [8] In turn, Lutterbach was pulled out on June 19 by the anti-doping commission because of a substance found in his urine and replaced by Antonio Trócoli, who was scheduled to face Aliskerov a week earlier. [9]
Said Nurmagomedov was scheduled to face Montel Jackson in a bantamweight bout. [10] However, Nurmagomedov pulled out due to undisclosed reasons and was replaced by Farid Basharat. [11] In turn, it was reported that Basharat was unable to compete due to an injury and the bout was scrapped. [12] [13]
Abu Azaitar was scheduled to face Denis Tiuliulin in a middleweight bout. [14] However, Azaitar was replaced by Sedriques Dumas due to an injury. [13] In turn, the bout between Dumas and Tiuliulin was postponed to UFC on ABC: Sandhagen vs. Nurmagomedov due to visa reasons related to Dumas. [15] [16]
A featherweight bout between Muhammad Naimov and Melsik Baghdasaryan was expected to take place at the main card. [17] However, Baghdasaryan pulled out during fight week due to a torn labrum in his left shoulder. [18] He was replaced by Felipe Lima. [19]
Former interim UFC Middleweight Championship challenger (also The Ultimate Fighter: Team Jones vs. Team Sonnen middleweight winner) Kelvin Gastelum and Daniel Rodriguez were originally scheduled to meet in a welterweight bout, but it was changed to middleweight during fight week as Gastelum had issues cutting weight. [20]
| Main card (ABC / ESPN+) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight class | Method | Round | Time | Notes | |||
| Middleweight | Robert Whittaker | def. | Ikram Aliskerov | KO (punches) | 1 | 1:49 | |
| Heavyweight | Alexander Volkov | def. | Sergei Pavlovich | Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 29–28) | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Middleweight | Kelvin Gastelum | def. | Daniel Rodriguez | Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 30–27, 30–27) | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Middleweight | Sharabutdin Magomedov | def. | Antonio Trócoli | TKO (knee and punches) | 3 | 2:27 | |
| Light Heavyweight | Volkan Oezdemir | def. | Johnny Walker | KO (punch) | 1 | 2:28 | |
| Preliminary card (ESPN / ESPN+) | |||||||
| Lightweight | Nasrat Haqparast | def. | Jared Gordon | Decision (split) (28–29, 29–28, 29–28) | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Featherweight | Felipe Lima | def. | Muhammad Naimov | Submission (rear-naked choke) | 3 | 1:15 | |
| Welterweight | Rinat Fakhretdinov | def. | Nicolas Dalby | Decision (split) (29–28, 28–29, 29–28) | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Bantamweight | Muin Gafurov | def. | Kang Kyung-ho | Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 30–27) | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Light Heavyweight | Magomed Gadzhiyasulov | def. | Brendson Ribeiro | Decision (majority) (29–28, 29–28, 28–28) | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Bantamweight | Lee Chang-ho | def. | Xiao Long | Decision (split) (28–29, 29–28, 29–28) | 3 | 5:00 | [lower-alpha 1] |
The following fighters received $50,000 bonuses. [22]
Robert John Whittaker is a New Zealand-born Australian professional mixed martial artist. He currently competes in the Middleweight division in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he is a former UFC Middleweight Champion. As of 12 September 2023, he is No. 3 in the UFC middleweight rankings.
Paulo Henrique Costa is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist. He currently competes in the Middleweight division in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). As of 4 June 2024, he is #8 in the UFC middleweight rankings.
UFC on ESPN: Kattar vs. Ige was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on July 16, 2020 at the du Forum on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
UFC on ESPN: Whittaker vs. Till was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on July 26, 2020 at the du Forum on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Khamzat Khizarovich Chimaev is a Russian professional mixed martial artist and freestyle wrestler who competes in the Middleweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). In freestyle wrestling, Chimaev is a three-time Swedish national champion. As of 18 June 2024, he is #11 in the UFC middleweight rankings.
Daniel Rodriguez is an American mixed martial artist who competes in the Welterweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. A professional mixed martial artist since 2015, Rodriguez has also competed in Bellator, King of the Cage, and Combate Americas.
Melsik Baghdasaryan is an Armenian mixed martial artist, kickboxer and boxer, currently competing as a featherweight in the UFC. A professional competitor since 2013, he is the former Wu Lin Feng International champion, and one-time K-1 Welterweight title challenger.
Ikram Sabirovich Aliskerov is a Russian professional mixed martial artist and former combat sambo competitor who competes in the middleweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).
UFC Fight Night: Thompson vs. Neal was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on December 19, 2020 at the UFC Apex facility in Enterprise, Nevada, part of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Area, United States.
UFC on ESPN: Chiesa vs. Magny was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on January 20, 2021, at the Etihad Arena on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
UFC 279: Diaz vs. Ferguson was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on September 10, 2022, at the T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, Nevada, part of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Area, United States.
UFC Fight Night: Grasso vs. Araújo was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on October 15, 2022, at the UFC Apex facility in Enterprise, Nevada, part of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Area, United States.
UFC 294: Makhachev vs. Volkanovski 2 was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on October 21, 2023, at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Sharabutdin Magomedovich Magomedov is a Russian professional mixed martial artist and Muay Thai kickboxer. He competes in the Middleweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).
UFC 298: Volkanovski vs. Topuria was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on February 17, 2024, at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California, United States.
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UFC 301: Pantoja vs. Erceg was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on May 4, 2024, at the Farmasi Arena, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
UFC on ABC: Sandhagen vs. Nurmagomedov was a mixed martial arts event by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on August 3, 2024, at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
UFC 308: Topuria vs. Holloway is an upcoming mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that will take place on October 26, 2024, at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
UFC on ESPN: Perez vs. Taira was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on June 15, 2024, at the UFC Apex facility, in Enterprise, Nevada, part of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Area, United States.
