The UFC will debut in Saudi Arabia this summer, and it’s bringing a major middleweight headliner with it.
Former champion [autotag]Robert Whittaker[/autotag] will take on [autotag]Khamzat Chimaev[/autotag] in a five-round main event on June 22, UFC CEO Dana White announced Thursday.
White added the bout’s winner will earn a crack at title gold and announced the main card will air on ABC.
Other fights on the card include [autotag]Sergei Pavlovich[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Alexander Volkov[/autotag], [autotag]Kelvin Gastelum[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Daniel Rodriguez[/autotag], [autotag]Volkan Oezdemir[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Johnny Walker[/autotag], [autotag]Shara Magomedov[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Ihor Potieria[/autotag].
BOOOOOOM!!!!!!
UFC is heading to Saudi Arabia for the first time with a BAD ASS card, headlined by Whittaker vs Chimaev LIVE and FREE on ABC on June 22nd pic.twitter.com/2OZW2AEmLH
— danawhite (@danawhite) March 28, 2024
Whittaker (25-7 MMA, 16-5 UFC), No. 4 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie middleweight rankings, looks to continue the momentum from a unanimous decision victory over Paulo Costa in February. The win was his second in three fights and bounced him back into the win column after a loss to Dricus Du Plessis.
Chimaev (13-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC) returns for the first time since September 2022, when he defeated former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman by majority decision. The No. 8 middleweight’s other UFC victories include Gilbert Burns and Kevin Holland among others.
The current UFC Saudi Arabia lineup includes:
- Robert Whittaker vs. Khamzat Chimaev
- Sergei Pavlovich vs. Alexander Volkov
- Kelvin Gastelum vs. Daniel Rodriguez
- Volkan Oezdemir vs. Johnny Walker
- Shara Magomedov vs. Ihor Potieria