On June 22 in the main event of UFC on ABC 6 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the Dagestani lost to the Australian by first-round knockout.
"We thought Aliskerov was the new Makhachev or Khabib. He can still repeat their path. But the fight with Whittaker showed that he took the burden out of his hands. Whittaker's performance was flawless; he hadn't won early in seven years. Even when he shook Aliskerov, he didn't rush in to finish him, but acted in a calculated manner.
Aliskerov showed bravery and courage. He went up against a much more experienced opponent with an incredible record. Ikram, you have a bright future ahead of you. Maybe you'll even be champion one day," Bisping said on his YouTube channel.