Robert Whittaker remains to be a really unhealthy man.
After dropping Khamzat Chimaev as an opponent simply days out from the UFC Saudi Arabia most important occasion, the previous middleweight champion didn’t blink when he was provided a battle towards extremely touted prospect Ikram Aliskerov. Whittaker then proved there are ranges to this recreation after he clipped Aliskerov with a stiff left throughout an early change that led to the end simply seconds later.
With Aliskerov on skates, Whittaker surged ahead with a blistering mixture, together with a vicious uppercut that dropped his opponent to the canvas. Whittaker adopted up with a couple of extra punches for good measure earlier than referee Marc Goddard swooped in to avoid wasting Aliskerov from additional hurt.
The official stoppage got here at simply 1:49 within the opening spherical.
“I advised you, I advised everyone, I’m the boogeyman,” Whittaker shouted after his newest win. “I’m probably the most harmful matchup for anybody within the division. As a result of I’m the most effective on this planet. I’ll take any battle, any time. I’ll battle anybody.”
There was apparent hazard for Whittaker within the battle as a result of it was a excessive threat, low reward state of affairs going up towards a largely unproven but doubtlessly deadly opponent like Aliskerov. That didn’t deter Whittaker as he got here out weapons blazing from the primary change and he confirmed no concern entering into the pocket to throw down with Aliskerov.
As quickly as he began touchdown strikes, Whittaker grew to become a headhunter and that’s when he launched the left hand that cracked Aliskerov and put him on wobbly legs.
Whittaker smelled blood within the water and he overwhelmed Aliskerov with strikes, which included that jaw-dropping knockout shot that led to the end. Ultimately, Whittaker knew that his cage savvy would function an incredible basis to beat Aliskerov and hand him solely the second lack of his profession.
“It was expertise,” Whittaker mentioned. “I’ve been on this place 100 instances. I advised you I used to be going to be the hunter and that’s precisely what I did.”
With the win, Whittaker places himself again in place to doubtlessly compete in a No. 1 contender’s bout towards anyone like Sean Strickland or presumably even function a backup for the middleweight title battle between Dricus du Plessis and Israel Adesanya at UFC 305 in Australia on Aug. 17.
From the sound of issues, Whittaker is more than pleased to just accept that invitation if provided.
“I’m wholesome, I’m hearty,” Whittaker mentioned. “Let’s go.”
