Robert Whittaker’s monster knockout puts UFC on notice

Australian UFC star Robert Whittaker has delivered a monumental statement with a hellacious knockout victory on Sunday.

Robert Whittaker gets the KO victory

Australian UFC star Robert Whittaker just delivered a monumental message to the middleweight division.

Whittaker wasted no time in the main event fight as he blitzed Ikram Aliskerov with a devastating first round knockout win.

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The man known as ‘Bobby Knuckles’ stunned his opponent with a hellacious overhand right hook before he moved in for the kill.

A high kick to the head missed its target but Whittaker stalked his prey before delivering a right hand uppercut that turned Aliskerov’s lights out and brought his undefeated UFC streak to an end.

“Monumental statement in Riyadh,” Jon Anik said as the fight was stopped.

Robert Whittaker gets the KO victory

Fans watching on loved every second of what they saw from Whittaker with many believing the latest showing warranted another shot at the middleweight crown.

RDX Sports’ Simon Head wrote: “Bobby. Freakin’. Knuckles! Give that man all the bonuses. Took the dangerous short-notice assignment to keep the main event alive and demolished his man inside a round. There are levels to this game, but that was an end-of-level boss performance from Whittaker.”

One user wrote: “Whittaker deserves a title shot.”

Another added: “Robert Whittaker is a bad bad bad man, and he’s still in the game for sure.”

Current middleweight champ Dricus du Plessis will take on Israel Adesanya in the main event at UFC 305 in Perth in August while American Sean Strickland is also at the top of the division.

The dominant KO however will elevate Whittaker back to top billing and in the hunt to regain his former crown.

UFC commentators react as Whittaker unleashes

UFC Saudi Arabia results

Robert Whittaker def. Ikram Aliskerov via KO (R1, 1:49)

Alexander Volkov def. Sergei Pavlovich via unanimous decision (30-27 x2, 29-28)

Kelvin Gastelum def. Daniel Rodriguez via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27 x2)

Shara Magomedov def. Antonio Trocoli via KO (R3, 2:27)

Volkan Oezdemir def. Johnny Walker via KO (R1, 2:28)

Nasrat Haqparast def. Jared Gordon via split decision (28-29, 29-28 x2)

Felipe Lima def. Muhammad Naimov via submission (rear-naked choke) (R3, 1:15)

Rinat Fakhretdinov def. Nicolas Dalby via split decision (28-29, 29-28 x2)

Muin Gafurov def. Kyung Ho Kang via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)

Magomed Gadzhiyasulov def. Brendson Ribeiro via majority decision (29-28 x2, 28-28)

Chang Ho Lee def. Xiao Long via split decision (28-29, 29-28 x2)