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411’s UFC on ABC 6 Report: Whittaker KO’s Aliskerov 6.22.24

June 22, 2024 | Posted by Robert Winfree
UFC on ABC 6 Image Credit: UFC

MAIN CARD (ABC/ESPN+, 3 p.m. ET)
#3 Robert Whittaker (186 lbs.) vs. Ikram Aliskerov (184 lbs.)
#3 Sergei Pavlovich (260 lbs.) vs. #5 Alexander Volkov (258 lbs.)
Kelvin Gastelum (184.5 lbs.) vs. Daniel Rodriguez (184 lbs.)
Shara Magomedov (185.5 lbs.) vs. Antonio Trocoli (185.5 lbs.)
#9 Volkan Oezdemir (206 lbs.) vs. #7 Johnny Walker (206 lbs.)

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN/ESPN+, noon ET)
Jared Gordon (156 lbs.) vs. Nasrat Haqparast (156 lbs.)
Felipe Lima (145.5 lbs.) vs. Muhammad Naimov (145.5 lbs.)
Nicolas Dalby (171 lbs.) vs. Rinat Fakhretdinov (170.5 lbs.)
Muin Gafurov (136 lbs.) vs. Kyung Ho Kang (136 lbs.)
Magomed Gadzhiyasulov (205 lbs.) vs. Brendson Ribeiro (205 lbs.)
Chang-Ho Lee (136 lbs.) vs. Xiao Long (136 lbs.)

Hello everyone, this is 411mania’s UFC on ABC 6 report. I’m Robert Winfree and I’ll be hosting things here. The UFC is in Saudi Arabia for the first time for this event but the card suffered some problems. First the original main event of Robert Whittaker vs. Khamzat Chimaev had to switch after some serious health issues came up for Chimaev, in his place is now Ikram Aliskerov. Kelvin Gastelum is fat and demanded his fight with Daniel Rodriguez switch from welterweight to middleweight during fight week, Antonio Trocoli is the third different opponent for Shara Magomedov after Ihor Potieria got rebooked and then Joilton Lutterbach had a drug testing issue. We also lost Montel Jackson vs. Farid Basharat, Melsik Baghdasaryan got injured and fell out of his fight with Muhammad Naimov so Felipe Lima stepped in during fight week to save the bout, and Denis Tiuliulin vs. Sedriques Dumas after travel issues with Dumas kept him from making the trip. All in all though we’ve still got a solid main event, a decent co-main event between Alexander Volkov and Sergei Pavlovich, Volkan Oezdemir vs. Johnny Walker probably has violence in store as well. On the prelims Jared Gordon vs. Nasrat Haqparast is one to circle, plus we’ve got some of the rising Tajikistan fighters on this card. All in all, I’m cautiously optimistic.

UFC on ABC 6 comes to the world from the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Jon Anik, Daniel Cormier, and Michael Bisping will be on commentary and I’m not the biggest fan of Cormier and Bisping together. We’re in the bigger 30 foot cage tonight, and I’ll let you know if any rule quirks come up.

We’ve got our Road to UFC finals here. Xiao Long brings a four fight winning streak with him into this bout and he’s looking to score that UFC contract. Chang-Ho Lee has won his last three fights and is also hoping to get the UFC contract. This one is close on the odds, but they’re with Long at -125 to +105 for Lee.

Bantamweight Bout: Chang-Ho Lee (9-1, 136 lbs.) vs. Xiao Long (26-8, 136 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: These two are the same height while Xiao has an inch of reach advantage. Southpaw for Lee, Xiao tries a flying knee that seems to off balance Lee but he recovers. Both men get close and trade some punches. Lee lands a front kick. Left hand from Lee then he clinches, Xiao is cut around the right eyebrow though. Some knees go back and forth, Lee lands another knee to the body as they fight for position. Xiao lands an elbow as they break. Right hand from Xiao then a body kick. Lee forces a clinch, they trade some knees back and forth then Lee lands an elbow. Xiao gets a takedown into full guard. Xiao moves to the ride position, Lee then swings around and comes up into a clinch. They’re back to trading knees, Xiao drops for a takedown but can’t finish it so they’re back to trading knees. Lee gets a double collar tie and fires several knees then looks for a takedown but Xiao defends and we’re still clinched. Elbow from Xiao on the break then Lee lands a left hand. Lee pushes into another clinch and more knees go back and forth, we’ve got kind of a hockey fight going on here. Both men land punches in close, then trade more knees as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Xiao but a close one

ROUND TWO: Xiao lands an inside leg kick. Lee with a left hand then they clinch and trade again, Lee is just pushing a crazy pace. Xiao catches a kick and trips Lee down but Lee comes back up in a clinch. Lee with some knees to the body and head then some rights as well. Xiao lands an elbow then a right hand. Lee keeps the clinch and we’re still clinch fighting. Bit of a right from Lee as they break. Xiao lands a body kick. Lee with a left hand then a right hand in close. Xiao lands an uppercut then Lee with a knee. They trade punches again and tie up then Xiao pulls free. Right hand from Lee but Xiao lands a couple of punches as they clinch. More clinch fighting then Xiao avoids a spinning back fist and they clinch again. Knees go back and forth then they break. Lee resumes moving forward, then Xiao lands an elbow. Lee grabs a double collar tie and lands knees to the body then head and Xiao pushes things into the fence to stifle that flurry. They just keep recycling the clinch fighting, Lee’s knees are starting to add up and he’s not slowing down with them. Xiao drops for a takedown after a hard knee, he doesn’t find it though. Lee gets Xiao on the fence as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Lee but again a close right, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: They immediately clinch back up then break. Lee with a couple of punches then a knee in close but Xiao pushes things into the fence. More knees from Lee, then they trade elbows. Lee with a couple more knees, then they hit the fence. Outside trip from Lee and he’s got Xiao down to a knee, then Lee slips to the back. Lee gets both hooks in and stars working at the arms of Xiao. Xiao is trying to slip Lee over the top, Lee is still threatening the arm attack but Xiao spins free and they come up in the clinch. Xiao is on Lee’s back standing then kicks a leg out and jumps to the back with both hooks in. Lee is able to start turning into Xiao and they just wrestle up into a clinch. Lee with some uppercuts and they break. Xiao with a body kick but he’s fading as they clinch again. Lee back to kneeing the body as they fight for position. They break and trade punches then clinch again. They keep throwing in the clinch, Xiao lands an inside leg kick. Lee with a couple of punches, they hit the fence and end the round trading again.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Lee but all three rounds were close, 29-28 Lee overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Chang-Ho Lee via split decision (28-29, 29-28 x2)

Fun little scrap there, 29-28 either man was perfectly justified. Lee gets an interview with his translator, he puts over Xiao and promises to do better next time. He knows he’ll need to do more going forward given how close this fight was. He felt stronger in the clinch and that led to the barrage of knees he used.

Magomed Gadzhiyasulov is undefeated coming into his UFC debut and was last seen winning on the Contender Series, now he’s hoping to break in the new contract with a win. Brendson Ribeiro was doing well enough in his UFC debut earlier this year before getting caught and finished, now he’s back and looking for his first UFC win. Gadzhiyasulov is a pretty big favorite at -345 to +275 for Ribeiro.

Light Heavyweight Bout: Magomed Gadzhiyasulov (8-0, 205 lbs.) vs. Brendson Ribeiro (15-6 1 NC, 205 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Ribeiro is an inch taller with five and a half inches of reach advantage. Ribeiro lands a calf kick to open the round. Gadzhiyasulov starts switching his stance a bit as they move around. Another leg kick from Ribeiro. Gadzhiyasulov lands a calf kick. Bit of a front kick from Ribeiro, then Gadzhiyasulov lands a calf kick. Ribeiro with a takedown, Gadzhiyasulov grabs the fence and the ref warns him but the takedown went through anyway. Gadzhiyasulov wall walks with Ribeiro on his back. Gadzhiyasulov works to break the grip of Ribeiro, Ribeiro is trying trips. Ribeiro tries a single leg, can’t quite finish it and they settle into a clinch. Bit of an elbow from Ribeiro. They jockey for position for a bit and trade some knees to the leg. Gadzhiyasulov with some knees to the inside of the leg before they break. Leg kick from Ribeiro. Gadzhiyasulov with a jab. A hard calf kick from Ribeiro gets Gadzhiyasulov limping. Gadzhiyasulov catches a kick and gets a takedown into full guard. Gadzhiyasulov quickly looks to pass and gets to half guard briefly. Ribeiro gets his guard back as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Ribeiro

ROUND TWO: Gadzhiyasulov avoids a low kick. Bit of a calf kick from Gadzhiyasulov. Ribeiro with a calf kick then Gadzhiyasulov lands a left hand. Gadzhiyasulov has gone southpaw now to protect his left leg. Bit of a left from Gadzhiyasulov. Double leg from Gadzhiyasulov, Ribeiro grabs a guillotine as they go down though. Ribeiro rolls into mount with the guillotine but Gadzhiyasulov breaks his leg grip and gets on top then moves to half guard. Gadzhiyasulov starts looking for elbows. Some hammer fists from Gadzhiyasulov. Not much going on here, Gadzhiyasulov is doing body to head punches but it’s just enough to get the ref to stay out of things. Gadzhiyasulov works for an arm triangle, but he loses it as he tries to pass to finish though he retains half guard. They’ve scooted to the fence, Gadzhiyasulov lands a few lefts as Ribeiro tries to start a wall walk. Elbow from Gadzhiyasulov, then another one. A few more elbows from Gadzhiyasulov close out the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Gadzhiyasulov, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: Gadzhiyasulov fires a right hand, then Ribeiro returns it. Ribeiro looks for a single leg, Gadzhiyasulov counters easily to get on top in half guard. Gadzhiyasulov passes to side control and lands a few shoulder strikes while he’s also working kind of a cradle. Ribeiro rolls to his knees and Gadzhiyasulov moves to the ride position. Gadzhiyasulov with some punches from the back, Ribeiro stands but Gadzhiyasulov easily wrestles him back down and moves to side control. Gadzhiyasulov is controlling and landing punches as he moves to the ride position. Some more rights from Gadzhiyasulov. Ribeiro gives up half guard and Gadzhiyasulov lands some more punches. Gadzhiyasulov is trying to set up an arm triangle but Ribeiro is hip to it and blocking. Ribeiro shrimps to get fully guard. Gadzhiyasulov with body to head punches, then he stands and half tries a cartwheel pass as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Gadzhiyasulov, borderline 10-8, 29-28 Gadzhiyasulov overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Magomed Gadzhiyasulov via majority decision (28-28, 29-28 x2)

Hm, not sure about Ribeiro getting the second but then again that guillotine was pretty tight so I’m not up in arms over it. No interview for the winner.

Kyung Ho Kang has gone 2-2 in his last four fights, he’s coming off of a loss as well and is trying to avoid his first losing streak since way back in 2010. Muin Gafurov has gone 0-2 in the UFC, he needs a win here pretty badly if he wants some job security. The odds actually like Gafurov at -160 while +135 for Kang might tempt a few bettors out there.

Bantamweight Bout: Muin Gafurov (18-6, 136 lbs.) vs. Kyung Ho Kang (19-10 1 NC, 136 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Kang is an inch taller with five inches of reach advantage, he’s also eight years older. Both men feint to start, Gafurov misses a left hook. Front kick from Kang. Kang is looking to jab now. Gafurov lands a hard calf kick. Left hook from Gafurov mostly lands. Kang lands a few jabs, then Gafurov lands a calf kick that drops Kang for a second. Kang tries a single leg, Gafurov defends into a clinch and he winds up countering to get on top of Kang. Gafurov moves to half guard and lands a few punches. Kang shrimps to full guard. Kang starts working rubber guard but can’t get much going. Gafurov lands an elbow. Gafurov passes back to half guard and lands a couple of punches. Kang catches full guard again but he’s struggling to regain his feet. A few body to head punches from Gafurov. Gafurov passes to half guard again then lands an elbow. Kang is able to use butterfly hooks and stand then takes Gafurov down, Gafurov immediately bounces up with Kang on his back. Mat return from Kang then he jumps to the backpack position and starts fishing for a choke. Gafurov slams backwards but can’t dislodge Kang as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Gafurov

ROUND TWO: Kang comes out front kicking. Gafurov misses a right hand and Kang hits a takedown into full guard. Kang quickly passes to half guard. Kang passes to full mount, nice work there. Kang starts working for an arm triangle but Gafurov defends. Gafurov underhooks a leg and bridges to get on top, Kang is fishing for a triangle though and rolls through but loses the arm and Gafurov gets on his back standing. Gafurov rides things down to a knee and lands some knees to the leg. Kang stands with Gafurov on his back. Gafurov starts working for trips and landing knees to the leg. They break after a bit. Gafurov lands a combination ending with a calf kick that bothers Kang. Kang reaches for a takedown, Gafurov grabs a front choke then rides him down to his knees with a front headlock. Kang is able to break the grip and Gafurov lands punches in the clinch. They break without incident. Another calf kick from Gafurov knocks Kang down. Kang up and Gafurov unloads with body shots then blocks a takedown and ends the round standing over Kang landing some punches.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Gafurov, 20-18 Gafurov overall

ROUND THREE: They hug to start the last round. Both men miss kicks. Kang lands a right hand then Gafurov lands a right. They clinch and Kang gets a takedown, Gafurov wrestles up to his knees but Kang rides him through and gets on top in full mount. Kang is working for an arm triangle, Gafurov hip bumps him and wrestles up on a single leg then into a clinch. They break without incident. There’s some damage to the left eye of Gafurov. Bit of an uppercut from Gafurov but Kang pushes him over and gets on top, they scramble around with Kang on top but eventually Gafurov fights up into a clinch. Gafurov has Kang on the fence and lands a few foot stomps. Some short rights from Gafurov land. Knee from Gafurov, Kang hits a takedown into side control off of one of them though. Some strikes go back and forth on the mat. Gafurov is able to scramble up and free then cracks Kang with a right hand, Kang is up but Gafurov drops him with a wheel kick. Kang on his knees and Gafurov lands punches but the round runs out.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Gafurov as he got it back with that wheel kick, 30-27 Gafurov overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Muin Gafurov via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)

Decent little fight, no interview for Gafurov though.

Here’s the late wheel kick from Gafurov, nicely done with Kang backed into the fence like that.

Nicolas Dalby brings a four fight winning streak into this fight, including an upset stoppage of Gabriel Bonfim in his last bout. Dalby is looking for another win here that might set him up with some bigger names his next time out. Rinat Fakhretdinov has a massive 20 fight unbeaten streak going including being 3-0-1 in the UFC, he is coming off of that draw though but a win over a veteran like Dalby could set Fakhretdinov up for a bigger name next. The odds like Fakhretdinov at -345 against a +275 payout on Dalby.

Welterweight Bout: Nicolas Dalby (23-4-1 2 NC, 171 lbs.) vs. Rinat Fakhretdinov (21-1-1, 170.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Fakhretdinov is an inch taller but Dalby has half an inch of reach advantage. Dalby with a quick leg kick. Fakhretdinov is pushing forward and looking to land punches. Both men kind of land in close. Dalby fires a head kick that’s blocked. They clinch up and Dalby pushes things to the fence. They fight for position while trading knees. That goes on for a bit then Fakhretdinov pushes free. Bit of a one two from Dalby. Fakhretdinov misses a left hook then eats a calf kick. Dalby is switching his stance a lot now. Fakhretdinov lands a right hand. Jab from Dalby then Fakhretdinov lands a couple of punches and tries a takedown that stalls on the fence. Fakhretdinov can’t finish the single leg, Dalby hops on one leg for a bit before they hit the fence again. Some more positional jockeying but neither man is going down and they break with a right hand from Fakhretdinov. Fakhretdinov lands a right that drops Dalby, Dalby bounces up and Fakhretdinov pushes him to the fence with punches then hits a double leg. Dalby wall walks into a clinch. Some knees and elbows from Dalby then Fakhretdinov lands an elbow as they break. Front kicks from Dalby as he looks to keep distance. Bit of a jab from Fakhretdinov then a jumping knee lands to more or less close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Fakhretdinov

ROUND TWO: Dalby lands a calf kick then both men miss punches. Bit of a left from Dalby. Both men with some kicks. Fakhretdinov with a bit of a left hand. Double leg from Fakhretdinov, Dalby scoots to the fence right away and looks to wall walk. Dalby is up and spins Fakhretdinov into the fence. They trade a bit in close then they break. Dalby lands a left hook then a front kick. Fakhretdinov misses a right hand, Dalby tries a takedown but they hit the fence. Short right from Dalby in close. They trade elbows then Dalby lands a combination to break. Knees go back and forth then they break apart. Body kick from Fakhretdinov. Dalby fires a head kick that’s blocked. Dalby with a front kick then some punches into a clinch. Short elbow from Fakhretdinov, then they trade some elbows and break. Bit of a right then a left from Fakhretdinov. Dalby fires a high kick, again blocked. Fakhretdinov with a double leg against the fence but Dalby starts working to wall walk right away. Dalbye is able to stand into a clinch as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Dalby, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: Both men come out swinging punches then Fakhretdinov gets the back standing and pushes this into the fence. Dalby is able to spin free and land a knee. Right hand from Dalby, then Fakhretdinov hits a takedown against the fence. Dalby is sitting on the fence but Fakhretdinov has mounted the legs and lands some punches to the body. Dalby gets one leg free and moves to that knee, Fakhretdinov lands a few lefts as Dalby gets upright and free. Both men land punches then Fakhretdinov hits a double leg against the fence. Dalby wall walks then looks to hit a switch and comes out on the hip of Fakhretdinov. A few rights from Dalby then Fakhretdinov stands and lands a right. Both men land punches, Dalby avoids a takedown that hits the fence. Dalby spins Fakhretdinov into the fence and lands a knee. Both men trade in the clinch. Dalby lands a head kick, Fakhretdinov just eats it and tries another clinch. They fight in the clinch for a bit, then they both swing punches to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Dalby but a close one, 29-28 Dalby overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Rinat Fakhretdinov via split decision (28-29, 29-28 x2)

Can’t hate that one, even if I disagree I don’t think giving Fakhretdinov the third is wrong. No interview for Fakhretdinov.

Felipe Lima is on an impressive 12 fight winning streak, normally he’s a bantamweight but stepped in here on short notice to get into the UFC and keep this card as together as it could be. A win here would be pretty big for his UFC debut. Muhammad Naimov has won his last six fights including three wins in the UFC, a fourth here might set him up with bigger names or at least a main card appearance his next time out. Lima is getting a lot of respect from the odds here, this one closed at a -110 pick ’em.

Featherweight Bout: Felipe Lima (12-1, 145.5 lbs.) vs. Muhammad Naimov (11-2, 145.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Naimov is three inches taller with two inches of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get us going. Lima with an early calf kick. Both men are switching stances while they circle around. Front kick from Lima off balances Naimov, then he tries a flying knee but Naimov intercepts and they clinch up. Knee from Naimov then Lima lands an elbow. Both men land calf kicks. Naimov bulls forward with punches. Lima blocks a knee. Naimov punches into a clinch then pushes Lima to the fence, Lima then spins him. They both trade then separate. Leg kick from Lima then Naimov lands a couple of punches. Bit of a wheel kick from Naimov. Lima moves forward with a combination of punches. Naimov grabs a body lock, Lima tries to granby roll through but Naimov gets on top in the guard of Lima. Some body to head punches from Naimov then he passes to half guard. Lima fights to full guard. A few elbows from Lima, Naimov is cut in the hair somewhere, it’s not bad though. A few punches from Naimov land. Naimov stands over Lima and lands a few punches as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Lima but Naimov might have stolen it back at the end

ROUND TWO: Lima shows an early front kick. Bit of a cut kick from Naimov. Lima lands a leg kick then avoids a single leg. Naimov avoids a high kick. Bit of a body kick from Naimov. Lima with a body kick. Naimov lands a calf kick. Lima ducks under a wheel kick then both men block punches. Lima lands a body shot in close. Bit of a left from Naimov. Another calf kick from Naimov. They clinch up and trade knees then Lima gets free. Body kick from Lima. Bit of a left from Naimov. Naimov keeps working forward and he’s starting to show the jab. Lima blocks a double leg but gets clinched on the fence. Naimov looks for a single leg but Lima defends and gets free. Jab from Naimov as he avoids a right hand. Both men land in close then Naimov lands a one two. Both men mostly miss punches in close. Bit of a one two from Naimov. Lima misses a right to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Naimov, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: They touch gloves for the last round. Naimov lands a couple of calf kicks. Both men land in close, Lima is showing jumping knees now. Naimov lands a right to the body. Leg kick from Lima. Naimov avoids a spinning back fist. They punch into a clinch, Lima starts working for a takedown then slips to the back of Naimov. Lima jumps to the back and grabs a choke, that was quick and Naimov has to tap.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Felipe Lima via Submission, rear naked choke, at 1:15 of Round 3

The Final Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Lima for his work this evening. Mic time for Lima, he feels great and acknowledges the short notice but he’s always in shape and was ready. He admits the second round was dicey then thanks God and puts over his coach.

Just quick and efficient jiu-jitsu from Lima here, Naimov doesn’t realize the danger until it’s too late.

Nasrat Haqparast has been with the UFC since 2017 and has amassed a very solid UFC record, he’s won his last three fights as well and if he can get to four it would be his longest UFC winning streak while also possibly earning him a shot at some bigger names again. Jared Gordon has been a bit up and down lately, trading some wins and losses though he should have beaten Paddy Pimblett and there was a No Contest sprinkled in there as well. Gordon won his last fight though and now looks for his first winning streak since 2021. Haqparast is your -230 favorite to a +190 comeback on Gordon.

Lightweight Bout: Jared Gordon (20-6 1 NC, 156 lbs.) vs. Nasrat Haqparast (16-5, 156 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Haqparast is an inch taller with four inches of reach advantage. Southpaw for Haqparast. Both men show some lead hand work early. Gordon pushes to a clinch and they hit the fence. Haqparast fights off a single leg but Gordon lands a few rights as he gets away. Gordon blocks a few punches. Haqparast lands a left to the body. Single leg from Gordon, he lands an uppercut then a knee against the fence. Haqparast lands a left hand. Left hand from Haqparast. Gordon lands a right hook. Bit of a left from Haqparast. Gordon lands a right hand. Now Gordon shows head kicks then tries a single leg against the fence. Gordon switches towards a double leg but Haqparast defends so Gordon lands a flurry of punches before Haqparast gets off the fence. Short uppercut from Gordon. Haqparast lands a left to the body. Gordon tries a double leg against the fence, Haqparast is able to defend and separate. A lot of pressure from Gordon so far. Both men land punches. Gordon hits the body then clinches against the fence. Haqparast defends and lands a few hammer fists. Left hook from Gordon in the pocket before they separate. Left to the body from Haqparast. Both men land punches in close, Haqparast has faster hands though and he’s sneaking in a few more punches. Gordon lands a couple of punches, then Haqparast lands a left to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Gordon but a close one

ROUND TWO: Both men back to moving and feinting. Haqparast blocks a high kick but Gordon does land a bit of a left hook. Haqparast lands a couple of front kicks. Glancing left from Gordon. Bit of a left from Haqparast. Haqparast fights off a single leg as they hit the fence. They trade lefts as they break, then both men land uppercuts as Gordon keeps Haqparast on the fence. Haqparast spins free and they trade again. Gordon lands a body shot and clinches, Haqparast circles free but took another both shot. Left hook from Gordon, Haqparast swings back but he’s blocked. They clinch again and Gordon lands some elbows and uppercuts. Haqparast misses an elbow but lands a left uppercut. Front kick from Haqparast then a one two. Gordon punches into a clinch, he’s keeping Haqparast on the fence consistently anyway. Some dirty boxing from Gordon in close before Haqparast gets free. Gordon slips on a head kick but nothing comes of it. Haqparast lands a couple of body shots. Gordon with a jab. Haqparast lands a couple of front kicks, Gordon is starting to dislike those. One two from Gordon. Haqparast lands a left hand. Gordon lands a series of rights then right uppercuts in close. Another right hand from Gordon lands as he’s got Haqparast on the fence. The pressure and grimy fighting of Gordon is breaking down Haqparast. Gordon keeps landing rights and gets Haqparast on the fence. Body shots from Gordon before Haqparast spins away. Both men land in close again then Gordon lands punches in a clinch. Some lefts to the body from Gordon before Haqparast gets away. Right hand from Haqparast lands. They split some jabs to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Gordon, 20-18 Gordon overall

ROUND THREE: Both men back to jabbing quickly. Haqparast lands a couple of punches in close. Left hand from Haqparast. Gordon lands a jab. Haqparast avoids a single leg and then partially lands an uppercut. They trade in close again. More jabs go back and forth. Gordon tries a single leg, but Haqparast is able to fight him off. Haqparast with an uppercut then a couple of body shots. Body kick from Gordon. Leaping right hook from Gordon lands. Gordon just keeps marching forward and lands a right hook. Clubbing left from Gordon. They trade some jabs but Gordon working southpaw has messed with Haqparast. Bit of a right from Gordon. Clubbing left from Haqparast. Gordon lands a left hand, he’s just not going away and he’s getting to Haqparast. Haqparast lands a couple of jabs. They split more jabs for a bit. Left hand from Gordon. Haqparast hits the body a couple of times. Left hand from Haqparast. Haqparast with a left in close, then Gordon swats him with a right hand. Haqparast lands a combination in close. They split jabs again. Body kick from Haqparast. They swing punches then Haqparast avoids a single leg. Haqparast with a left uppercut. Right hook from Gordon. Haqparast with a combination. Short elbow from Haqparast in close. They trade again and then just unload for the last couple of seconds.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Haqparast, 29-28 Gordon overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Nasrat Haqparast via split decision (28-29, 29-28 x2)

Have to feel bad for Gordon here, I don’t think giving it to Haqparast is wrong but man Gordon gave that everything and had an argument for winning. No interview for Haqparast.

Volkan Oezdemir has had a rough go of it lately, 2-3 in his last five though the losses are to mostly upper tier talent. Oezdemir is coming off of a win though and is trying for his first winning streak since 2019. Johnny Walker is coming off of a couple of fights with Magomed Ankalaev where they had a No Contest followed by Walker getting knocked out in the second round, he’s trying to get back on the winning side of things and prove he’s ready for a run towards the top of the division. This one is pretty close but the odds are with Walker at -130 while making anyone an underdog against Walker has to be a tempting value bet, even at just +110 on Oezdemir.

Light Heavyweight Bout: #9 Volkan Oezdemir (19-7, 206 lbs.) vs. #7 Johnny Walker (21-8 1 NC, 206 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Walker is four inches taller with a notable seven inches of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get us going. Oezdemir comes out showing the jab and lands a bit of a right hand. Walker lands a leg kick. Oezdemir keeps pressuring forward and looks to counter the kicks with punches. Bit of a jab from Walker. Both men probe with some kicks. Right to the body from Oezdemir. Oezdemir with a left to the body. Oezdemir gets close and lands some punches. Body jab from Oezdemir. Oezdemir hits the body a couple of times. Walker looks hesitant, those body shots might have gotten to him. Oezdemir with a left hook that drops Walker, then when Walker stands Oezdemir unloads with a few more punches. Walker misses a knee and Oezdemir lands a right uppercut, the one more to put the nail in the coffin and knock Walker out.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Volkan Oezdemir via KO, punches, at 2:28 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Oezdemir for his work this evening. Mic time for Oezdemir, he feels great and thinks he’s back. He talks us through the finish and knew he had to be patient in the first couple of minutes because Walker is nuts. Asked about the future he wants another title shot and thinks either Jamahal Hill or Jan Blachowicz will get him there. Not bad call outs for him though I’m not sure how likely either is.

This is just good work from Oezdemir, he’s got Walker on the fence and Walker ducks expecting another hook but he ducks right into an uppercut. The follow up is unnecessary but the ref wasn’t there to stop it and it completely knocks Walker out.

Shara Magomedov is undefeated including a successful UFC debut last year, he’s looking to keep that momentum going here and score his second UFC win. Antonio Trocoli hasn’t lost since 2017 but his UFC debut has been delayed for a few years at this point for a variety of reasons, ultimately he stepped in on short notice here and looks to make a positive first impression on the UFC audience. Magomedov is a heavy favorite at -535 to Trocoli’s +400.

Middleweight Bout: Shara Magomedov (12-0, 185.5 lbs.) vs. Antonio Trocoli (12-3 1 NC, 185.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Trocoli is three inches taller with a notable seven inches of reach advantage. Southpaw for Trocoli. Magomedov is switching his stance and lands a leg kick while circling. Both men have started switching. Trocoli avoids a crescent kick and lands a couple of rights then clinches up. Some rights to the body from Trocoli. Trocoli is trying to drag things down but Magomedov is defending that, there’s not much happening yet. Knees go back and forth but the ref doesn’t like Trocoli grabbing the fence and he breaks them up. Magomedov lands a leg kick. Calf kick from Trocoli. Magomedov side kicks the leg a few times then misses a hook kick. Calf kick from Magomedov. Both men land punches but Trocoli is keeping Magomedov on the fence thus far. Right hand from Magomedov then Trocoli lands a left hook. Trocoli clinches on the fence. Trocoli rides things down to a knee but Magomedov fights upright quickly. Knee from Trocoli. The round will end in the clinch.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Trocoli but could go the other way

ROUND TWO: They touch gloves again. Side kick from Magomedov then he tries a hook kick. Magomedov lands a leg kick. Trocoli shows a few kicks of his own. Magomedov lands a leg kick. Another leg kick from Magomedov. Trocoli forces a clinch but Magomedov knees him in the body and breaks free. Some leg kicks from Magomedov, Trocoli looks like he’s fading a bit. More leg kicks from Magomedov as he circles. Trocoli lands a jab. Magomedov goes back to leg kicks then a side kick. Bit of a left hand from Magomedov then a side kick. Trocoli isn’t doing much now, he’s just kind of plodding around. Magomedov lands a leg kick the Trocoli tries a takedown but that stalls on the fence. Not a whole lot happening. Trocoli tries to get motion going and he looks to trip Magomedov down but Magomedov grabs the fence badly to remain upright. That could have warranted a point deduction, Trocoli was going to finish that takedown without that foul. Magomedov lands a right hand as they break the clinch. Magomedov sprawls away from a poor double leg, then nearly lands a head kick as they stand. Side kick from Magomedov to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Magomedov, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: They hug for the last round. Trocoli eats a side kick then a hook kick. Magomedov lands an inside leg kick then a calf kick. Another calf kick from Magomedov. Trocoli looks more like a heavy bag than a fighter right now. Inside leg kick from Magomedov. A couple of punches land from Magomedov in close. Magomedov lands a leg kick. Trocoli is just backing up and taking kicks. Magomedov keeps touching the calf then lands a spinning kick to the body. Leg kick from Magomedov then a right hand. Trocoli backs to the fence and Magomedov lands a couple of punches, a left hand drops Trocoli and that’ll stop the fight.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Shara Magomedov via TKO, punches, at 2:27 of Round 3

Mic time for Magomedov and the translator, he gives glory to God first then thanks the Arabic and Russian worlds for their support. He talks us through the finish and knew he’d have to defend takedowns then time his offense. He calls this an honor to be in Saudi Arabia and thanks God again.

Trocoli is very done here, this could have been stopped before the knockdown in all honesty.

Kelvin Gastelum signed for this fight at welterweight but was so fat during fight week that he couldn’t even make 180 pounds and they bumped this up to middleweight, he’s just 1-3 in his last four fights and his welterweight return late last year ended badly when Sean Brady tapped him out. Gastelum needs a win here to salvage anything out of this largely disastrous fight week. Daniel Rodriguez had a decent run going at one point but he’s lost his last two fights and at 37 years old if he’s going to turn things around it needs to start now. The odds still like Gastelum at -200 against +165 for Rodriguez.

Middleweight Bout: Kelvin Gastelum (18-9 1 NC, 184.5 lbs.) vs. Daniel Rodriguez (Daniel Rodriguez 17-4, 184 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Rodriguez is four inches taller with two and a half inches of reach advantage. Both men fight southpaw. A few kicks go back and forth. Both men land lefts in close. They both miss punches in close, Gastelum pushes forward in general then gets a clinch on the fence. They break without incident. Some jabs from Rodriguez. Both men miss punches in close. A few jabs from Rodriguez. Gastelum misses a few one two combinations. Calf kick from Gastelum. Rodriguez lands a combination. Bit of a right from Gastelum. Clubbing left from Gastelum partially lands. Rodriguez lands a jab. They both miss punches again. Bit of a combination from Gastelum but Rodriguez fires back with a right hook. Commentary proves how useless they are by claiming Rodriguez hasn’t thrown a kick all round, this is demonstrably untrue. Rodriguez lands a combination of punches. Gastelum lands a right to the body. Rodriguez slips a few punches and lands a left hand. Bit of a left from Gastelum to end the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Rodriguez but a close one

ROUND TWO: Gastelum with an inside leg kick. Bit of a one two from Rodriguez. Rodriguez lands some jabs. Gastelum avoids a few punches. One two from Gastelum. Glancing left from Rodriguez. Gastelum is pushing forward a lot this round and lands a bit of a left. Left hand from Rodriguez but Gastelum just eats it. Both men land punches in close. Gastelum lands a jab. They both block punches then Gastelum with a few lefts. Double leg from Gastelum and he gets on top against the fence, might as well make use of that fat he’s put on. Rodriguez works and wall walks then they break. Gastelum misses a left hand. A couple of body shots from Gastelum. Combination from Rodriguez, he’s hitting the body a fair bit. Gastelum lands a jab. Left hand from Rodriguez. Calf kick then a right hook from Gastelum. Both men land lefts as they exchange. A couple of leg kicks from Gastelum then Rodriguez lands a left hand. Solid left hand from Rodriguez. Gastelum hits a single leg just as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Rodriguez, 20-18 Rodriguez overall

ROUND THREE: Both men come out jabbing. Gastelum lands a left hand. Gastelum avoids a few punches. Bit of a one two from Gastelum. Calf kick from Gastelum. Rodriguez checks a calf kick then lands a couple of punches in close. One two from Rodriguez. Glancing left from Gastelum. A few jabs go back and forth. Gastelum lands a jab. Rodriguez lands to the body. Gastelum’s pressure is getting to Rodriguez at this point. Left hand from Gastelum. Gastelum hits a takedown against the fence into side control. A few short elbows from Gastelum but not much on them. Rodriguez is able to shrimp and get half guard. Gastelum lands a couple of hammer fists then stands free and they reset. Another double leg from Gastelum and he’s back on top. Gastelum lands a couple of elbows and ends the round on top.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Gastelum, 29-28 Rodriguez overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Kelvin Gastelum via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27 x2)

Those 30-27’s for Gastelum feel wrong, at a minimum Rodriguez should have had the second with better striking and Gastelum’s grappling meaning nothing. Mostly that also felt like a waste of time. Gastelum gets an interview, he’s asked about being fat and just plays with the crowd then says he’s a company man and wants to stay here forever. Eventually he gets around to apologizing for missing weight. . . again. He knows how to win fights and admits this was an important fight for him then sucks up to the brass yet again.

Sergei Pavlovich just had a six fight winning streak broken when he failed in a bid for the interim heavyweight title against Tom Aspinall, he’s now trying to avoid his first losing streak and possibly get back into the title picture. Alexander Volkov is riding a three fight winning streak and could make his own way into the title scene with a win here. The odds like Pavlovich at -220 but that +180 payout on Volkov looks mighty tasty.

Heavyweight Bout: #3 Sergei Pavlovich (18-2, 260 lbs.) vs. #5 Alexander Volkov (37-10, 258 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Volkov is four inches taller while Pavlovich has four inches of reach advantage. Volkov looking to move and stay long early. A few leg kicks from Volkov, just keeping distance and range finding. Now Volkov starts showing the jab, then he lands a leg kick. A bit of stance switching from Volkov now as he circles, Pavlovich seems happy to play with different stances as well. Left body kick from Volkov. Pavlovich lands a jab, that man has insane reach. More kicks from Volkov trying to keep distance. Volkov keeps showing southpaw, he must like having more time to react to that right hand from Pavlovich. Left hand from Volkov. Pavlovich lands a left hook but Volkov lands a front kick. Body kick from Volkov then Pavlovich with a counter right. Jab from Volkov, bit of a counter from Pavlovich. Right from Pavlovich then Volkov lands a couple of jabs. Another Volkov jabs lands. Volkov with a left body kick. Bit of a one two from Volkov, Pavlovich is bleeding from the nose now. Short left from Volkov lands then an inside leg kick to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Volkov

ROUND TWO: Pavlovich lands a jab to start the round. Volkov with some calf kicks while circling. Pavlovich jabs the body. Volkov lands a left body kick. A lot of circling from Volkov then he lands a couple of leg kicks. Bit of a left hook from Pavlovich. Volkov lands a left hand. Both men land punches in close then Volkov exits the pocket. Body kick then calf kick from Volkov. Bit of a head kick from Volkov. Pavlovich just can’t find Volkov reliably and he’s getting picked at from the outside. Some side kicks to the leg from Volkov then a left hand behind it. Volkov lands a leg kick. Pavlovich has a right hand blocked. Pavlovich blocks a high kick. Volkov with an inside leg kick. Bit of a side kick from Volkov to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Volkov, 20-18 Volkov overall

ROUND THREE: Volkov still southpaw as the round starts and he lands a jab. Inside leg kick from Volkov. Volkov blocks a few punches. Jab from Volkov then he avoids the counters. They trade power hand punches. Volkov with a jab then leg kick. Right from Volkov after blocking a power punch. Pavlovich tries a combination but he’s mostly getting blocked. Volkov with a series of jabs then a left hand and a body kick. Bit of a right from Pavlovich. Left hand from Volkov. Pavlovich’s face is beat up. Short left from Volkov lands. Pavlovich misses a right hand. Side kick from Volkov. Pavlovich forces a clinch to the fence. They break without incident. Both men land power hand punches. Volkov lands a couple of kicks and avoids punches. Head kick from Volkov seems to bother Pavlovich as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Volkov, 30-27 Volkov overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Alexander Volkov via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27 x2)

Mic time for Volkov and the translator, he hopes people enjoyed the fight. He got the fight he expected but knew he had a few tricks for Pavlovich. Asked what he wants next he says he’s been here for a while and wants a title shot if possible.

Ikram Aliskerov took this fight on very short notice but he’s riding a seven fight winning streak including two first round finishes in the UFC, if he can take out a former champion and beloved fighter like Whittaker here it would launch him up the rankings. Robert Whittaker is a former middleweight champion and has only lost in the division to Israel Adesanya and Dricus du Plessis, he’s coming off of a win over Paulo Costa and now looks to defend his ranking while also making a case for himself to still be in the title picture. Despite the short notice change of opponent the odds are fairly close, -150 for Whittaker to +125 on Aliskerov.

Middleweight Bout: #3 Robert Whittaker (26-7, 186 lbs.) vs. Ikram Aliskerov (15-1, 184 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: These two are the same height while Aliskerov has two and a half inches of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get us going. A little feinting from both men. Aliskerov is circling around and misses a few kicks. Whittaker starts firing the jab. Calf kick from Whittaker. Another calf kick from Whittaker. Aliskerov starts working his jab a bit now. Whittaker lands a one two that hurts Aliskerov, he backs him to the fence and misses a head kick but then ENDS him with an uppercut.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Robert Whittaker via KO, punches, at 1:49 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Whittaker for his work this evening. That’s also Whittaker’s first finish since knocking out Jacare back in 2017. Mic time for Whittaker, he says he’s the most dangerous matchup for anyone in this division. He calls himself the best in the world and he’ll prove it over and over again. He leaned on his experience here and wanted to be the hunter in this fight. Asked about the upcoming UFC event in Perth which is headlined by Dricus du Plessis vs. Israel Adesanya, he’s willing to play backup there or get any fight on that card.

This is just lovely stuff from Whittaker, he’s still one of the best middleweights in the world and doesn’t look ready to bow out just yet.

Well on that note UFC on ABC 6 is done. Thanks to you for reading, I know I couldn’t cover this one live but I hope the post facto reporting is good. We’ll be unpacking this event on the 411 Ground and Pound MMA Podcast plus looking ahead to UFC 303 next week. I’ll be back live for UFC 303 and I hope you’ll be here as well. Until then thank you again, stay safe out there, and keep checking 411mania for all of your pop culture needs.

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