BOBBY KNUCKLES SILENCES THE ARENA WITH A MASSIVE KNOCKOUT IN THE MAIN EVENT
BOBBY KNUCKLES!! THE MAN, THE MYTH, THE LEGEND, THE BOOGEYMAN!!!
What a fucking performance and finish here from one of our favorites, Robert Whittaker. He was originally supposed to be fighting Khamzat Chimaev tonight, but Chimaev pulled out of the main event due to some kind of illness, and Ikram Aliskerov - who was supposed to be on last week's card - got offered the contract and stepped in. Admirable for Ikram, for sure, but it proved to be too big a step-up in levels for him. Whittaker made Aliskerov look like light work for a former champ, and honestly - I think he would've beaten Khamzat too.
Maybe it wouldn't have been quite as easy with Chimaev, but I swear - when Whittaker is fighting at his best, he's as good as any middleweight in the world. He's had lackluster performances against Adesanya (x2) and DDP in recent years, but I don't think either of those guys are unbeatable for him in a rematch scenario by any means. Maybe I'm just fired up after that win tho. Seeing him put Aliskerov on skates and then land that devastating uppercut had me ready to run through a wall.
Whittaker could go down to Perth now and serve as a backup for DDP/Adesanya for the championship in August, or if they're willing - maybe you set up a Sean Strickland/Robert Whittaker fight! I honestly think everyone would love to see that matchup. I don't even know what Strickland would talk shit about - Bobby Knuckles is up there with the chillest dudes on the roster.
P.S. I have to add that the show just ended with Turki Alalshikh (Head of Saudi Arabia Sports Stuff) telling Dana White that he wants Zack Snyder to make a movie like 'Cinderella Man' about the UFC. He swears that Zack loves his ideas about it. Very strange and random but I'm always down for more UFC movies - even if they're made by directors I don't really like.