Morning Report: Robert Whittaker hadn’t heard of Ikram Aliskerov before UFC Saudi Arabia switch

Robert Whittaker is rolling with the punches.

This weekend, Whittaker was supposed to face Khamzat Chimaev in the main event of UFC Saudi Arabia; however, this past Thursday, Chimaev withdrew from the card due to illness, and up-and-coming middleweight contender Ikram Aliskerov has stepped in to replace him. It’s a big change for Whittaker, who goes from fighting one of the most popular fighters in the division, to someone he didn’t even know about until he got the call.