Robert Whittaker is one step nearer to an opportunity to regain the middleweight title.
The previous champion was the primary fighter to step to the dimensions at Friday’s official weigh-ins for UFC Saudi Arabia, which passed off at 2 a.m. ET (9 a.m. native time in Riyadh), and he made weight at 186 kilos for Saturday’s non-title headliner. Quick-notice opponent Ikram Aliskerov additionally efficiently made weight, coming in at 184 kilos.
Aliskerov steps in on per week’s discover as a alternative for an sick Khamzat Chimaev after initially being scheduled to combat within the co-main occasion of UFC Vegas 93 this previous Saturday.
All 22 fighters competing at UFC Saudi Arabia efficiently made weight, which needed to be a reduction for officers after seeing a number of beforehand scheduled bouts on the lineup altered or cancelled.
The one notable weigh-in-related drama occurred throughout media day earlier this week, when Kelvin Gastelum revealed that he was having bother making the 170-pound restrict. Gastelum lately returned to welterweight, a division that he beforehand left as a result of problem of the burden cuts. Saturday’s bout was modified to a middleweight bout, per a request from Gastelum’s workforce in keeping with opponent Daniel Rodriguez.
Each Gastelum (184.5) and Rodriguez (184) efficiently made weight.
See official UFC Saudi Arabia weigh-in outcomes beneath.
Most important 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 Lengthy (136) vs. Chang Ho Lee (136)
