Ikram Aliskerov took over on short notice to headline UFC Saudi Arabia over the weekend, taking on former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker.
Things did not go as planned for the Dagestani fighter, who lost by knockout in the first round less than two minutes into the fight.
Instead of blaming short notice for his loss, Aliskerov took it seriously and said he has “no excuses” for his disappointing performance inside the cage.
Alhamdulilla, there are no excuses. I do not regret anything. It was a great experience against one of the best in the sport. I’m young, I’ll work on my mistakes, learn and get back to business soon. Thank you all for the messages of support.
— ikram_aliskerov (@ikram_aliskerov) June 23, 2024
Aliskerov took to social media to share his thoughts on the fight.
“Alhamdulilla, there are no excuses,” Aliskerov wrote in X. “I don’t regret anything. It was a great experience against one of the best in the sport.
“I’m young, I’ll work on my mistakes, learn and get back to business soon. Thank you all for the messages of support.”
With the loss, Aliskerov falls to 17-2 in his professional career. Both losses came by knockout.
The four-time world combat sambo champion entered the fight on a seven-match winning streak, including six finishes during that stretch.
Meanwhile, Whittaker moves to 26-7 with his second straight win. His most recent loss was to current middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis at UFC 290 in July 2023.
