UFC Saudi Arabia: Robert Whittaker vs. Ikram Aliskerov Prediction, Pick and Odds

Fighting for the second time in 2024, Robert Whittaker will return to headline another Fight Night card on June 22 against short-notice opponent Ikram Aliskerov.

Whittaker (25-7, 16-5 in UFC) rebounded from a tough loss to Dricus du Plessis with a gritty decision victory over Paulo Costa at UFC 298. Taking his second walk to the Octagon at UFC Saudi Arabia, Whittaker will be completing his quickest turnaround between fights since 2020.

Aliskerov (15-1, 2-0 in UFC) was intended to face Antonio Trocoli in the co-main event of UFC Vegas 93 but was pulled from the fight following Khamzat Chimaev's withdrawal. On nine days' notice, Aliskerov will instead face Whittaker in a five-round main event to save the Saudi Arabia fight card in just his third with the promotion.

Track Jaren Kawada's daily picks and betting record on BetStamp here.

Robert Whittaker vs. Ikram Aliskerov Odds and Round Total

• Whittaker: -154
• Aliskerov: +120

Total: 2.5 (Over -142/Under +112)

Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook

Robert Whittaker vs. Ikram Aliskerov Best Bet

Despite his relatively unknown status amongst casual fans, Aliskerov is an elite middleweight with championship potential. However, this situation is extremely unwelcoming for the Dagestani, and the line is not nearly as wide as it should be.

This would be a compelling matchup on a full camp but Aliskerov was two days away from fighting in Las Vegas when he received the call to face Whittaker. In that time, he had to immediately get on a plane to fly across the world and cut weight for a second time in two weeks.

Not to mention, he was preparing to be in a three-round fight that he was a 12-1 favorite in and instead has to go for 25 minutes against the fourth-best middleweight in the world. More experienced and proven fighters have tried and failed to beat Whittaker in much more favorable situations.

Since becoming the champion in 2017, Whittaker has gone 7-3 with his only losses in the last seven years to former champion Israel Adesanya and current titleholder Dricus du Plessis. Against all other opponents, 'The Reaper' has gone 7-0 in mostly dominant performances.

Many are expecting a fall-off from a fighter who has been at the top of the division since 2016 but even five years after losing his title, Whittaker is still just 33 years old. He is still in his prime.

For Aliskerov to win, he will have to find a knockout, likely early in the fight. As a former Combat Sambo world champion, he is an elite grappler, but Whittaker has only been submitted once in 2011. A knockout is certainly plausible, but Whittaker showed in his last fight that his durability it still there even if he has lost a touch of his speed.

As a favorite, Whittaker has only been lined at -150 or better since facing Yoel Romero in 2017. The hype is real with Aliskerov, but it may have influenced his line too much. Whittaker should be prepared for the style that Aliskerov presents with his entire fight camp geared for Khamzat Chimaev.

Prediction: Whittaker by decision

Best bet: Robert Whittaker money line (-154)

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.