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The UFC visited Saudi Arabia for the first time last night for a Fight Night event. While the show wasn't as loaded as it was supposed to be, it still proved to be solid.
UFC Fight Night: Robert Whittaker vs. Ikram Aliskerov was an event that featured some nasty finishes, fun bouts and strong performances.
With plenty of talking points to discuss, it definitely felt like a good debut show in a new country.
Here are five takeaways from UFC Fight Night: Robert Whittaker vs. Ikram Aliskerov.
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#5 Kelvin Gastelum's weighty problems continue
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One of the more impressive showings last night was produced by TUF 17 winner Kelvin Gastelum.
In what was perhaps a must-win bout for him, Gastelum outpointed Daniel Rodriguez, showing excellent boxing in the first round and then strong grappling to edge out the third.
However, despite his victory, Gastelum is probably far from the UFC's good books today.
That's because, despite his fight with 'D-Rod' being scheduled to take place at 170 pounds, Gastelum could only make 185 pounds, forcing a change in weight division come fight time.
The TUF champ did apologize for his error post-fight, but Dana White still admitted that he wasn't thrilled by the issue in the post-event press conference.
The problem that Gastelum has is that he naturally straddles the two weight classes. He can't cut to 170 pounds reliably enough and when he does, he looks depleted.
However, he's slightly too small to really compete with the top fighters at 185 pounds too, even if his speed gives him an advantage against some.
Therefore, it seems likely that Gastelum is destined to meander through the rest of his octagon career until it comes to a conclusion, something that will be disappointing given the natural talent he displayed last night.
#4 Shara Magomedov shines, but he may never reach the top of the UFC
Sharabutdin Magomedov came into the UFC last year with plenty of hype behind him. However, while 'Shara Bullet' looked good in his debut against Bruno Silva, last night saw him really shine.
The Dagestani methodically broke down late-notice opponent Antonio Trocoli, eventually putting him away in the third round. A violent combination, punctuated with a hard left hook, did for the Brazilian.
'Shara Bullet' was duly rewarded with a $50k bonus for his work, and under normal circumstances, the talk today would be around how quickly he could return to action.
However, despite Magomedov probably warranting a shot at a higher-level opponent, perhaps even uber-prospect Bo Nickal, his future may not be as bright as it seems.
That's because, according to Dana White, 'Shara Bullet' can probably never fight in the US, with rumors suggesting his eye issues mean he could never be licensed by a US athletic commission.
Magomedov clearly has no problems competing in international occasions - and evidently, his eye condition doesn't limit his fighting abilities.
However, with the UFC only visiting locations like Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi on a handful of occasions per year, it's hard to imagine the Dagestani really catching on.
It's frustrating, because he's clearly a very talented fighter and bouts against top-level opponents could be excellent to watch, just as last night's fight was.
#3 With his loss to Alexander Volkov, Sergei Pavlovich may have been exposed
The fighter who probably suffered the most devastating defeat at last night's event was Sergei Pavlovich.
Sure, the big Russian wasn't knocked out like Ikram Aliskerov, instead lasting the distance against former training partner Alexander Volkov.
However, he was largely outclassed by 'Drago', who used a smoother boxing game, most notably a ramrod jab, to pick his countryman apart.
By the aftermath of the bout, a bloodied Pavlovich was so frustrated that he shoved Volkov away when he attempted to approach him in a friendly manner.
The fight didn't really teach observers a lot about Volkov, but it may have exposed Pavlovich somewhat.
Based on this bout - which was taken with a full camp unlike his short-notice loss to Tom Aspinall - the Russian is more of a one-dimensional power-puncher than was previously imagined. If he can't land one of his bombs early on, it's clearly possible to pick him apart.
Whether Pavlovich can rebound is anyone's guess, but for now at least, the hype he cultivated with his knockouts of opponents like Curtis Blaydes and Derrick Lewis is dead in the water.
#2 Ikram Aliskerov might live to regret saving last night's show
Last night's headline bout should've seen Khamzat Chimaev facing the toughest test of his UFC career to date against former middleweight titleholder Robert Whittaker.
Ikram Aliskerov, meanwhile, looked all set to face off with Antonio Trocoli in the co-headliner of last weekend's Fight Night event at the Las Vegas APEX.
However, when 'Borz' was forced out of last night's fight due to illness, the matchmakers chose Aliskerov to replace him, giving him one of the quickest jumps up the ladder in recent memory.
The Dagestani had looked excellent with two knockouts in two octagon appearances, but those wins came over Phil Hawes and Warlley Alves, two fighters nowhere near as good as Whittaker.
For Aliskerov, then, last night's fight was a high-risk, high-reward one, and in the end, it didn't pay off.
He suffered a violent knockout loss at the hands of 'The Reaper' in under two minutes. Not only was this his first loss since a defeat to Chimaev in 2019, but it was the kind of knockout that could well end up affecting his career going forward.
Sometimes, taking a late-notice opportunity like this one can pay off handsomely for a fighter, and there's no doubt that Aliskerov will be in the UFC's good books now.
However, it also wouldn't be a surprise to see his career flame out entirely after a loss like this, making his decision an unwise one.
Essentially, fighting in the UFC can easily be compared to walking a tightrope - and Aliskerov's defeat to Whittaker could be seen as the equivalent of him falling off.
#1 Robert Whittaker remains one of the UFC's most dangerous men
The most impressive showing in Saudi Arabia last night was definitely produced by Robert Whittaker. If the former middleweight kingpin's win over Paulo Costa earlier in the year wasn't proof enough that he's still dangerous, his violent finish of Ikram Aliskerov certainly was.
The Dagestani prospect lasted just under two minutes before 'The Reaper' stunned him with a left hand and then followed with a head kick. Aliskerov was in trouble, and after an uppercut put him down, Whittaker sealed the deal in trademark savage fashion.
Following his knockout defeat to Dricus du Plessis last year, it became easy to write Whittaker off as yesterday's news. Despite the loss being only his third at 185 pounds - with the other two coming to Israel Adesanya - it did appear that the Aussie had lost a step.
Based on his last two fights, though, that isn't the case at all. 'The Reaper' remains a very viable contender for the middleweight crown, and while he may never regain his title, any idea that he's ready for a slide down the mountain is clearly premature.
Hopefully, the UFC can get him back into action quickly, as one more key win could well put him in line for another title shot.
