UFC Saudi Arabia weigh-in results: Robert Whittaker, Ikram Aliskerov on point for middleweight contender bout
Robert Whittaker is one step closer to a chance to regain the middleweight title.
The former champion was the first fighter to step to the scale at Friday’s official weigh-ins for UFC Saudi Arabia, which took place at 2 a.m. ET (9 a.m. local time in Riyadh), and he made weight at 186 pounds for Saturday’s non-title headliner. Short-notice opponent Ikram Aliskerov also successfully made weight, coming in at 184 pounds.
Aliskerov steps in on a week’s notice as a replacement for an ill Khamzat Chimaev after originally being scheduled to fight in the co-main event of UFC Vegas 93 this past Saturday.
All 22 fighters competing at UFC Saudi Arabia successfully made weight, which had to be a relief for officials after seeing several previously scheduled bouts on the lineup altered or cancelled.
The only notable weigh-in-related drama occurred during media day earlier this week, when Kelvin Gastelum revealed that he was having trouble making the 170-pound limit. Gastelum recently returned to welterweight, a division that he previously left due to the difficulty of the weight cuts. Saturday’s bout was changed to a middleweight bout, per a request from Gastelum’s team according to opponent Daniel Rodriguez.
Both Gastelum (184.5) and Rodriguez (184) successfully made weight.
See official UFC Saudi Arabia weigh-in results below.
Main Card (ABC, ESPN+, 3 p.m. ET)
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 (ESPN, ESPN+, 12 P.M. ET)
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)