UFC Saudi Arabia fight card official with new lineup

Robert Whittaker has a new opponent, but the stakes in his next fight are just as high.

The former middleweight champion headlines Saturday’s UFC Saudi Arabia event against up-and-coming challenger Ikram Aliskerov. Whittaker was looking to score a statement win over Khamzat Chimaev in the hopes of earning another shot at UFC gold, but Chimaev was forced to withdraw due to illness. Aliskerov now steps into the main event spot on short notice.

In the co-main event, heavyweight slugger Sergei Pavlovich takes on Alexander Volkov in a bout that also has contender implications. Pavlovich fights for the first time since being knocked out by Tom Aspinall at UFC 295, while Volkov travels to Saudi Arabia riding a three-fight win streak.

Also on the main card, Kelvin Gastelum fights Daniel Rodriguez in a welterweight bout, featherweight prospects Muhammad Naimov and Melsik Baghdasaryan face off, and light heavyweight finishers Johnny Walker and Volkan Oezdemir open the ABC portion of the show.

See the lineup for UFC Saudi Arabia below.

Main Card (ABC, ESPN+ at 3 p.m. ET)

Robert Whittaker vs. Ikram Aliskerov

Sergei Pavlovich vs. Alexander Volkov

Kelvin Gastelum vs. Daniel Rodriguez

Muhammad Naimov vs. Melsik Baghdasaryan

Johnny Walker vs. Volkan Oezdemir

Preliminary Card (ESPN, ESPN+ at 12 p.m. ET)

Shara Magomedov vs. Joilton Lutterbach

Nasrat Haqparast vs. Jared Gordon

Rinat Fakhretdinov vs. Nicolas Dalby

Kyung Ho Kang vs. Muin Gafurov

Magomed Gadzhiyasulov vs. Brendson Ribeiro

Sedriques Dumas vs. Denis Tiuliulin

Xiao Long vs. Chang Ho Lee