“I Will Overcome It”: Ikram Aliskerov Admits ‘Being Worried’ Going Against Robert Whittaker on Short Notice

With Khamzat Chimaev pulling out of the UFC Saudi Arabia fight card, Ikram Aliskerov had to fill in on short notice. However, the Russian MMA artist is still not wholly confident about facing someone as experienced as Robert Whittaker.

Usually, UFC fighters get anywhere between 6 to 12 weeks to prepare for a major fight. This is the amount of time it takes for them to get into shape, study, and come up with multiple strategies. However, with just a week to go for the event, Aliskerov could not afford the luxury of a full training camp, which could prove to be detrimental for him.

This fight is for the fans,  and there’s no other way to put it. Robert Whittaker knew he had to keep himself active to stay in the title shot conversation, regardless of who it was against. Meanwhile, the bout could prove to be the biggest of Aliskerov’s career as it might bring him closer to a title shot.

Well, in the build-up to the event, the Russian revealed his low confidence levels in an interview with ESPN MMA, where he said,

“I agreed as this fight would bring me closer to the title. To be honest, I’m a little worried. But that’s just because this news just came in. I’ll overcome it all.”

Ikram Aliskerov has a lot to lose from the fight, but nowhere near as much as Robert Whittaker. So if there’s anyone who should be worried, it’s the former champion. The New Zealand native has been putting up one solid performance after the other against some of the best in the division in hopes of securing a title shot. Hence, a loss to Aliskerov would put all his hard work down the drain in one fell swoop.

Meanwhile, in such a high-stakes fight, Aliskerov had to turn to Khabib Nurmagomedov for advice on how to face a former champion.

Ikram Aliskerov reveals advice Khabib Nurmagomedov gave him for the Robert Whittaker fight

Ikram Aliskerov is flexing on all of us. The Russian fighter just called up Khabib Nurmagomedov for advice on how to overcome Robert Whittaker.

As a coach and a former champion, ‘The Eagle’ is a master tactician and is always ready to help active fighters. In an interview with Red Corner MMA, Aliskerov revealed the advice Nurmagomedov gave him,

“I called Khabib, he said, you can’t miss these chances you have to fly here, sweat for 2-3 days….Pay attention because he’s a striker. Be attentive, and everything will work out”

Ikram Aliskerov often trains with Khabib Nurmagomedov and Islam Makhachev so he certainly has experience training with champions. However, neither of them will be in his corner or in attendance to watch the fight.