UFC’s Robert Whittaker Unfazed by Chimaev Cancelation: ‘Anyone, Anytime, Anywhere’

“Borz” or bust, Robert Whittaker wanted to fight in UFC Saudi Arabia anyway.

The former UFC middleweight champion was set to face undefeated contender Khamzat Chimaev in the main event of the UFC’s debut in Saudi Arabia next weekend, but it all fell apart when Chimaev went down. violently ill” a week later.

UFC Saudi Arabia’s ‘violently ill’ Khamzat Chimaev, Robert Whittaker’s new foe

In a recent interview with Cole Shelton of BJPenn.com, Whittaker said there weren’t many options he could fight from on short notice and that “no one” would take the fight early. The UFC finally pulled middleweight prospect Ikram Aliskerov (15-1) from this Saturday’s “Fight Night” event in Las Vegas to replace Chimaev.

“He has nothing to lose, everything to gain, and he has some dangerous skills,” Whittaker said of his new opponent Aliskerov, adding that it was “a little frustrating” to have to prepare for a style of intense fight in Chimaev for the last time. several weeks only for his game plan to be ruined.

“Hats off to Ikram for taking the fight, and to the UFC for putting it together, and I can’t wait to put on a show.”

The UFC was dealt a big blow this weekend with the cancellation of its UFC 303 main and co-main events. Conor McGregor and Jamahal Hill withdrew from their fights. Michael Chandler won’t stay on the card, but Hill’s nemesis Carlos Ulberg will, against Anthony Smith.

Former champion Whittaker also plays the role of a business man, fighting whoever the UFC puts in front of him – whether in a full camp or on a week’s notice like we have here.

“There was no question of not fighting,” Whittaker said. “This is my job, this is why I flew the world, and this is how I put bread on the table for my family. I understand that I’m the main event, a lot of eyes. It’s the first card in Saudi Arabia, so I want to be part of it.

As for who he’ll be fighting, Ikram Aliskerov is just happy to be here with the opportunity of a lifetime at UFC Saudi Arabia… although he wouldn’t mind being tagged by the boss Dana White.

“Dana still doesn’t know my Twitter account, but that’s until next weekend,” Aliskerov joked.X‘.”

Robert Whittaker enters the UFC Saudi Arabia headliner following a decision victory over Paulo Costa in February, while Russian Ikram Aliskerov is on a seven-fight winning streak, with his latest (and only) defeat coming at the hands by Khamzat Chimaev in 2019.

Manager shares update on Khamzat Chimaev’s health after UFC withdrawal to Saudi Arabia

The middleweight title shot was supposed to be reserved for the winner of Whittaker against Chimaev, but that could change as Aliskerov doesn’t yet crack the top 15.

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