The show goes on for Robert Whittaker, who faces Ikram Aliskerov at UFC Saudi Arabia following Khamzat Chimaev’s last-minute withdrawal.
Whittaker (25-7) won The Ultimate Fighter in 2012 and eventually became UFC middleweight champion. “The Reaper” lost the belt to Israel Adesanya in 2019, winning three in a row and losing a rematch in 2022. Since then, he is 2-1 in his last three fights.
Chimaev is out of action due to a serious illness. Competing against a new opponent without much preparation would shake most fighters. Whittaker is not like most, as he welcomes all challengers.
“Not many names were mentioned, no one wanted to accept it, it was very short notice. I understand the level of danger that Ikram brings. He’s a guy who came in at the last minute, he was fighting this weekend, so he’s ready, he’s got nothing to lose, everything to gain, and he’s got a dangerous skill set,” Whittaker said. BJPenn.com.
Aliskerov (15-1) competed for Brave CF, with the only loss of his professional career coming against Chimaev in 2019. The seven-time Sambo gold medalist has won seven straight since that fight and is 3-0 in the octagon. The Dana White’s Contender Series standout last fought in October. Unranked, he seeks to surprise the world by beating a former champion like Whittaker.
Here’s how you can watch UFC Saudi Arabia, including streaming options and TV channel to watch the prelims and main card.
UFC Saudi Arabia: Whittaker vs. Aliskerov start time
- Date: Saturday June 22
- Start time: 3 pm ET (noon ET prelims) | 8 pm. ET | 5am AEST (Sunday)
- Location: Kingdom Arena (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia)
Prelims for UFC Saudi Arabia begin at noon ET. The main card begins at 3 pm ET. Whittaker and Aliskerov should arrive at the Octagon around 7 p.m. ET, depending on how long the preliminary fights last.
How to watch the UFC Saudi Arabia prelims
- Live broadcast: ESPN+
The prelims, which will begin at noon ET, will air on ESPN+.
The prelims will feature Dana White’s Contender Series standout Farid Basharat against Montel Jackson, who is on a four-fight winning streak. Nasrat Haqparast faces Jared Gordon, while Xiao Long and Lee Chang-ho compete in the finals of the Road to UFC Season 2 bantamweight tournament.
LOOK: UFC Saudi Arabia: Whittaker vs. Aliskerov, live on ESPN+
How to watch the main card of UFC Saudi Arabia
UFC Saudi Arabia is available on ABC and ESPN+ in the US. It can also be streamed on fubo that offers a Free Trial. The main card will be transmitted TNT Sports in the United Kingdom
UFC Saudi Arabia fight card, odds
Principal card
- Robert Whittaker (-150) vs. Ikram Aliskerov (+125); Middle weights
- Sergei Pavlovich (-210) against Alexander Volkov (+175); heavy weights
- Johnny Walker (-145) vs. Volkan Oezdemir (+120); light heavyweights
- Kelvin Gastelum (-250) vs. Daniel Rodríguez (+190); welterweights
- Sharabutdin Magomedov (-250) vs. Joilton Lutterbach (+195); Middle weights
- Muhammad Naimov (-115) vs. Melsik Baghdasaryan (-105); featherweights
Preliminaries
- Magomed Gadzhiyasulov (-450) against Brendson Ribeiro (+350); light heavyweights
- Farid Basharat (-200) against Montel Jackson (+165); Bantamweights
- Abu Azaitar (+105) against Denis Tiuliulin (-125); Middle weights
- Rinat Fakhretdinov (-275) against Nicolas Dalby (+225); welterweights
- Nasrat Haqparast (-250) vs. Jared Gordon (+190); Light weights
- Kang Kyung-ho (-105) vs. Muin Gafurov (-115); Bantamweights
- Xiao Long (-110) vs. Lee Chang-ho (-110); Bantamweights
* Betting odds MGM Bet
Upcoming UFC television schedule
| Date | Event | Location | how to watch |
| June 22, 2024 | Whittaker vs. Aliskerov | Kingdom Arena, Saudi Arabia | ESPN+ABC |
| June 29, 2024 | UFC 303: McGregor vs. Chandler | T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, USA | ESPN+ |
| July 13, 2024 | Barber vs. Namajunas | Ball Stadium – Denver, Colorado | ESPN, ESPN+ |
| July 20, 2024 | To be confirmed vs. to be confirmed | UFC APEX, Las Vegas, USA | ESPN+ |