Former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker takes on surging prospect Ikram Aliskerov on Saturday in the main event of UFC Fight Night: Whittaker vs. Aliskerov. Their five-round showdown will highlight the main UFC fight card starting at 3 p.m. ET from the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The matchup represents a rapid about-face for the promotion in its first voyage to Saudi Arabia. Whittaker was originally slated to face celebrated prospect Khamzat Chimaev, who had to withdraw because of illness on short notice. Instead, the promotion turned to a less-experienced prospect in Aliskerov, who will be making just his third appearance for the promotion. However, Aliskerov’s versatile skill set has many observers projecting him to be a future title-contender.
Whittaker is a -150 favorite (risk $150 to win $100), while Aliskerov comes back at +125 in the latest UFC Fight Night: Whittaker vs. Aliskerov odds. In the co-main event, Sergei Pavlovich (-220) takes on Alexander Volkov (+180) in a matchup of ranked heavyweight contenders. Before locking in your picks for UFC Fight Night: Whittaker vs. Aliskerov, make sure you see the MMA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine expert Daniel Vithlani.
From breaking down film and following fighters and their camps closely, to tracking sharp action and betting market signals, Vithlani covers the breadth of the MMA betting landscape top to bottom. He also trains amateur boxers and speaks regularly with MMA fighters to understand the sport’s nuances.
Vithlani made his SportsLine debut in January 2023 and swept the main card for UFC 283 with a 5-0 record and has been a consistent winner ever since. Over the past 12 UFC pay-per-view events, Vithlani has gone 8-4 on main-event picks and his main-card selections in that span have netted his followers a profit of more than $1,500.
His highlights include predicting an upset for Sean O’Malley (+210) against Aljamain Sterling (-250) at UFC 292 as part of a 4-1 main card and his UFC 299 winners included underdog selections on Poirier (+190) against Saint Denis (-230) and Michael Page (+110) against Kevin Holland (-130). Anyone who has followed him has seen massive returns.
Now, with UFC Fight Night: UFC Fight Night: Whittaker vs. Aliskerov on deck, Vithlani has studied the card from top to bottom and released his top selections. You can only see those picks and analysis at SportsLine.
UFC Fight Night: Whittaker vs. Aliskerov preview
Whittaker (25-7) is a 12-year UFC veteran who is one of the most respected active fighters in the promotion. The 33-year-old New Zealander is known for his durability, versatile skill set and a willingness to take on all qualified opponents.
Since moving up a weight class early in his career, Whittaker is 13-3 at middleweight, with the defeats coming to former champion Israel Adesanya (twice) and current titleholder Dricus du Plessis. Whittaker has essentially worked as the top-three middleweight gatekeeper over the past few years, and only du Plessis passed the test.
Whittaker has summarily discarded all other contenders, but this matchup has a different backdrop. The UFC has long been high on the potential of Chimaev, but the Dagestani fighter’s career has been derailed by illness, injuries and travel issues at every turn. Whittaker was perhaps the only top-five middleweight willing to face Chimaev, and now he turns his attention to another prospect who has many similarities with Whittaker’s original opponent.
Like Chimaev, Aliskerov (15-1) is a rugged Dagestani bruiser with polished skills and a sinister disposition. However, the 31-year-old is far less experienced than Chimaev at the UFC level and his two UFC fights have come against journeymen Phil Hawes and Warlley Alves, both of whom he finished in the first round.
The unranked Aliskerov was originally expected to appear on last week’s UFC Fight Night card, but the promotion pulled him when he became a candidate to face Whittaker on Saturday. Although he’s untested and unranked, a win over a former champion would likely immediately vault Aliskerov into the top-five rankings. You can only see who to back at UFC Fight night here.
UFC Fight Night predictions
We’ll share one of Vithlani’s UFC Fight Night selections here: He is siding with Nasrat Haqparast (-240) to get past Jared Gordon (+195) in a matchup of lightweight prospects on the preliminary card.
Haqparast (16-5) is a seven-year UFC veteran and power puncher who has struggled against upper-tier competition but has won three straight against middling opponents. The 28-year-old German is coming off a first-round stoppage of marginal journeyman Jamie Mullarkey in October.
Gordon (20-6-1) is a versatile fighter who has seen his trajectory marked by more than his share of misfortune, including fights that ended because of fouls or questionable decisions that went against him. However, the 35-year-old New Yorker’s last performance resulted in a stoppage of journeyman Mark Madsen, who has since retired from the sport.
“Haqparast has the speed, youth and reach advantage that should lead him to a unanimous decision win,” Vithlani told SportsLine. See who else to back here.
How to make UFC Fight Night picks
Vithlani has strong picks for Whittaker vs. Aliskerov and other bouts on the UFC Fight Night card. He’s also backing a fighter who “brings a menacing presence to the Octagon” to emerge with a dominant victory. Those picks are only available at SportsLine.
Who wins UFC Fight Night: Whittaker vs. Aliskerov, and how exactly does each fight end? Visit SportsLine now to get detailed picks on UFC Fight Night, all from the MMA expert who profited more than $1,500 on his UFC main-card picks, and find out.
UFC Fight Night odds, fight card
See full UFC Fight Night picks, predictions, best bets here.
Robert Whittaker (-150) vs. Ikram Aliskerov (+125)
Sergei Pavlovich (-220) vs. Alexander Volkov (+180)
Kelvin Gastelum (-250) vs. Daniel Rodriguez (+205)
Johnny Walker (-120) vs. Volkan Oezdemir (+100)
Shara Magomedov (-240) vs. Joilton Lutterbach (+195)
Nasrat Haqparast (-240) vs. Jared Gordon (+195)
Rinat Fakhretdinov (-340) vs. Nicolas Dalby (+270)
Kyung Ho Kang (+130) vs. Muin Gafurov (-155)
Magomed Gadzhiyasulov (-345) vs. Brendson Ribeiro (+275)
Xiao Long (-120) vs. Chang Ho Lee (+100)
