UFC on ABC: Whittaker vs. Aliskerov - Odds, Predictions & Picks

• Khamzat Chimaev pulls out of main event due to illness

• Ikram Aliskerov steps in on short notice to take on former champ Robert Whittaker

• Top-10 heavyweights Pavlovich and Volkov do battle in the co-main event

UFC on ABC: Whittaker vs Aliskerov

The odds for this match are provided by FanDuel Sportsbook. Click the odds in the table below to place your bets at FanDuel: Bet $5 and Get $200 in Bonus Bets!

UFC on ABC: Whittaker vs. Aliskerov - Picks & Predictions

Robert Whittaker vs. Ikram Aliskerov - Middleweight Division

• My pick: Robert Whittaker (-154) at FanDuel

Sergei Pavlovich vs. Alexander Volkov - Heavyweight Division

• My pick: Sergei Pavlovich (-245) at FanDuel

Kelvin Gastelum vs. Daniel Rodriguez - Welterweight Division

• My pick: Kelvin Gastelum (-250) at FanDuel

Shara Magomedov vs. Joilton Lutterbach - Middleweight Division

• My pick: Shara Magomedov (-265) at FanDuel

Johnny Walker vs. Volkan Oezdemir - Light Heavyweight Division

• My pick: Volkan Oezdemir (-115) at FanDuel

Robert Whittaker vs. Ikram Aliskerov - Middleweight Division

A former UFC middleweight champion with black belts in hapkido, karate, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Robert Whittaker still can’t expect an easy main event this weekend - even with the last-minute change to a lesser-known opponent.

Originally scheduled to take on undefeated Khamzat Chimaev, Whittaker will now take on the 15-1 unranked Ikram Aliskerov after Chimaev pulled out of the bout due to illness.

Aliskerov is a sambo master and is riding a seven-fight winning streak that includes two first-round finishes in the UFC.

Whittaker recently bounced back from his TKO loss to Dricus du Plessis when he earned a unanimous decision win over Paulo Costa at UFC 298 back in February.

Aliskerov has the slight edge in reach, but the gritty Whittaker has a plethora more experience within the UFC octagon. Despite the last-minute changes, this bout could still easily be named Fight of the Night.

To find out how to place your bets for this middleweight main event, check out our ultimate UFC betting guide to get started.

Bet on Robert Whittaker (-154) at FanDuel 

Sergei Pavlovich vs. Alexander Volkov - Heavyweight Division

Friends and training partners-turned-opponents, Russian fighters Sergei Pavlovich and Alexander Volkov will stand toe-to-toe in Saturday’s co-main event.

Two of the largest men in the heavyweight division, Pavlovich boasts an 84-inch reach while Volkov stands at a staggering 6-feet-7-inches tall.

Volkov has now won three in a row, with his most recent win coming in the form of a second-round submission over Tai Tuivasa.

Pavlovich had won six-straight prior to his most recent bout where he took on Tom Aspinall in a last-minute bout to determine the interim UFC heavyweight champion. Pavlovich was knocked out in the first round.

Despite Pavlocich’s power, Volkov boasts black belts in Tsu Shin Gen and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu as well as a brown belt in karate. We wouldn’t expect to need the judges’ scorecards for this one.

Bet on Sergei Pavlovich (-245) at FanDuel 

Kelvin Gastelum vs. Daniel Rodriguez - Welterweight Division

Kelvin Gastelum himself has claimed that this is a do-or-die fight between him and Daniel Rodriguez, believing that the loser will likely be shown the exit from the UFC.

Despite being five-years younger than Rodriguez, Gastelum has more than double the UFC experience as his opponent. However, he hasn’t had much luck lately - holding a record of only 2-6 across his last eight fights.

Rodriguez has dropped his last two in a row - having been submitted by Neil Magny and, most recently, knocked out by Ian Garry last May.

Rodriguez has the advantage in both height and reach but the experience of Gastelum has led to him being listed as a -250 favorite via FanDuel - surprisingly the second-largest betting favorite on the main card.

Bet on Kelvin Gastelum (-250) at FanDuel 

Shara Magomedov vs. Joilton Lutterbach - Middleweight Division

Despite only having ONE EYE, Shara Magomedov has gone 12-0 in his professional career and won his UFC debut against Bruno Silva last October. 

He takes on the ridiculous 38-10 Joilton Lutterbach, who despite staying active in karate and kickboxing, hasn’t had a mixed martial arts fight since 2021. Yes, this is wild.

Magomedov will be the taller fighter but Lutterbach will have a one-inch reach advantage and, well, complete vision.

And yet not only is Magomedov the betting favorite - he is the largest betting favorite on the main card at -265 via FanDuel!

Bet on Shara Magomedov (-265) at FanDuel 

Johnny Walker vs. Volkan Oezdemir - Light Heavyweight Division

After a no-contest with Magomed Ankalaev spoiled the momentum of his three-fight winning streak, Johnny Walker dropped his rematch against Ankalaev (losing by knockout) and now hopes to get back in the win column by taking on Volkan Oezdemir in Saturday’s main card kick-off bout.

Oezdemir, a former light heavyweight title challenger, is just 2-3 over his last five fights but is coming off of an impressive first-round submission win over Bogdan Guskov that took place last September. 

Walker, one of the largest light heavyweights in the UFC, will stand four-inches taller than Oezdemir and possess a seven-inch reach advantage. 

The oddsmakers have these two fighters pretty evenly matched, with Walker being listed as -111 compared to Oezdemir’s -115.

Bet on Volkan Oezdemir (-115) at FanDuel 

How to Watch UFC on ABC: Whittaker vs. Aliskerov

• Location: Kingdom Arena, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

• When: Saturday, June 22

• Time: 3 PM EST

• How: ABC, ESPN, ESPN+, Sportsnet+