Khabib Nurmagomedov has come out to make a bold prediction about Ikram Aliskerov’s future in the UFC! With Khamzat Chimaev’s abrupt withdrawal from the UFC Saudi Arabia event on June 22 due to an undisclosed illness, UFC CEO Dana White announced that Aliskerov will be replacing him in the main event against Robert Whittaker.

Aliskerov punched his ticket to the UFC through Dana White’s Contender Series 54 and has a long history with Nurmagomedov and his family. According to reports online, Aliskerov was trained in judo and sambo by coaches who came from Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov’s gym in Dagestan. Now, as he prepares to step into the cage against a former middleweight champion, ‘The Eagle’ has revealed what he thinks about Aliskerov’s potential to be a “future star”!

Khabib Nurmagomedov announces future ‘stardom’ in the cards for Ikram Aliskerov 

In a video clip from Khabib Nurmagomedov’s YouTube channel, the former UFC lightweight champion stated, “I know that the UFC has high hopes for Ikram. They want him to fight in major tournaments against good opponents. He was scheduled to fight Paulo Costa. They have big hopes and plans for him but Ikram is performing very well.”

The man of the hour who swooped in to replace Chimaev, Ikram Aliskerov, made his debut at UFC 288 in 2023 and announced his arrival in the promotion with a spectacular first-round knockout of Phil Hawes. As ‘The Eagle’ stated, Aliskerov was scheduled to take on Paulo Costa at UFC 291. Yet, the promotion then scrapped the bout and the Russian took on Warlley Alves instead at UFC 294 in Abu Dhabi where he added another highlight reel finish to his resume with a ‘Performance of the Night’ worthy first-round TKO win.

As such, Nurmagomedov further stated, “He is one of those fighters who shows himself in the gym as well as he does in the cage, in a fight. When Ikram steps into the Octagon, it feels like he uses 200% of his capabilities.”

‘The Eagle’, with his history with Aliskerov going back to their childhood in Dagestan, then affirmed that he believes Aliskerov has what it takes to become a future star in the promotion. “That’s the impression I get, I’ve known him since childhood. I think Ikram is a future star.” Nurmagomedov concluded, underscoring the high expectations surrounding the fighter.

By accepting the short-notice fight against Robert Whittaker, Aliskerov can enter the rankings in the middleweight division with a win over the former champion and possibly even find himself in the title picture. And with a fight of this magnitude, Aliskerov recently revealed that he had reached out to ‘The Eagle’ for advice once he accepted the UFC’s offer!

Aliskerov receives crucial advice from ‘The Eagle’ ahead of UFC Saudi Arabia

Stepping into the main event against a fighter of Robert Whittaker’s caliber is a huge opportunity for Ikram Aliskerov! Slated to appear at such a high-stakes fight ahead, who would be better to take advice from than Khabib Nurmagomedov? Aliskerov recently revealed in an interview with RedCornerMMA, “After I took the fight I called Khabib. He said ‘You can’t miss these chances, you have to fly here and sweat for 2-3 days’”

He further revealed that the discussion with Nurmagomedov also touched on fight strategy with ‘The Eagle’ sharing some advice on how to approach a dangerous opponent like ‘The Reaper’. Aliskerov stated, “We discussed (the fight). (He said) ‘Pay attention because he’s a striker, be attentive and everything will work out’”

In conclusion, with guidance from Nurmagomedov and a clear focus on his preparation, Ikram Aliskerov is poised to make a statement in the middleweight division. As noted by Nurmagomedov, Aliskerov’s upcoming fight at UFC Saudi Arabia is not just another match; it’s a potential launching pad for a future star in the making!

Do you think Ikram Aliskerov has what it takes to be a dominant force in the middleweight division? Why or Why not? Share your thoughts in the comments below!