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The UFC Saudi Arabia event is set to transpire at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh on June 22, 2024. It'll be headlined by a middleweight bout between former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker and Ikram Aliskerov. Initially, Whittaker was booked to fight Khamzat Chimaev, but an illness ruled 'Borz' out.
Meanwhile, Aliskerov was to face Antonio Trocoli at UFC Vegas 93 (June 15, 2024). After Chimaev's withdrawal, the promotion removed Aliskerov from the card and roped him in to face Whittaker on the Saudi Arabia card.
Speaking of the Robert Whittaker vs. Ikram Aliskerov purses, they're both likely to take home lucrative sums for their high-stakes middleweight showdown.
Whittaker's last two fights saw him lose to Dricus du Plessis via second-round TKO at UFC 290 (July 2023) and then beat Paulo Costa via unanimous decision at UFC 298 (February 2024).
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Per NY Fights, Whittaker was expected to earn $250k for his fight at UFC 290. Additionally, per figures released by the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC), he bagged a disclosed pay of $400k (win bonus included) at UFC 298.
Besides, Ikram Aliskerov's last fight saw him defeat Warlley Alves via first-round TKO at UFC 294 (October 2023). As reported by NY Fights, Aliskerov took home a minimum of $50k for the fight. Moreover, it was estimated that the Dagestani fighter would earn a guaranteed payout of $81k for his fight against Trocoli. The aforementioned figures, barring one, don't include bonuses and other perks.
Important variables at play include the Whittaker-Aliskerov matchup's high stakes, the fact that it's the UFC's first fight card in Saudi Arabia, and their fight being the card's headliner. Ergo, it's likely that Whittaker and Aliskerov could earn a greater payout than they did in their respective previous fights. This is, of course, an estimate, and the official UFC Saudi Arabia purses haven't been disclosed yet.
Robert Whittaker vs. Ikram Aliskerov and the potential UFC Saudi Arabia co-main event payouts
Robert Whittaker is ranked No. 3 in the official UFC middleweight rankings, and many view this as the biggest matchup of Ikram Aliskerov's career thus far. A win for Whittaker could catapult him into a UFC middleweight title matchup. Alternatively, Aliskerov, who's currently ranked outside the top 15, could jump into the upper echelons of the division with a win over 'The Reaper.'
The co-headlining matchup is a clash between Sergei Pavlovich and Alexander Volkov. Pavlovich's coming off a first-round KO loss in an interim UFC heavyweight title clash against Tom Aspinall at 295 (November 2023). Pavlovich was reportedly in for a $256k guaranteed payout, per The Sports Daily.
As for Volkov, he's coming off a second-round submission win against Tai Tuivasa at UFC 293 (September 2023). NY Fights indicated that Volkov was to bag a base pay of $311k for that fight. With the aforementioned payouts in mind, it's likely that Pavlovich and Volkov would possibly earn higher payouts in their upcoming clash at UFC Saudi Arabia.
