The middleweight division is always in need of fresh names that bring new energy to its ranks, and this week, Aliskerov is the debutant carrying a good deal of buzz and intrigue into his promotional debut.
A combat sambo world champion in 2016, the 30-year-old Russian carries a 13-1 record into his clash with Phil Hawes on Saturday, looking to build on his current five-fight winning streak. Included in that run of success are a win over current UFC competitor Denis Tiuliulin, Strikeforce and UFC veteran Nah-shon Burrell, and an impressive first-round submission finish of Mario Souza last fall on Dana White’s Contender Series that punched his ticket to the Octagon.
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That victory over Souza is a great example of who Aliskerov is and what he brings to the table, as he happily waded forward through long-range attacks in order to finally get in on a takedown. It was 18 seconds from the time Aliskerov put the Brazilian on the canvas to the time to the fight was stopped, with Souza tapping out to a gnarly kimura that the surging newcomer locked up in a hurry.
Oh yeah — that one loss on Aliskerov’s record came in a 180-pound catchweight bout against Khamzat Chimaev, which not only tells you the level of competition he’s faced, but also thus far how good you need to be in order to beat him.
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This weekend’s pairing with Hawes serves as a perfect litmus test for the new arrival — a date with a fellow DWCS grad who has enjoyed some success inside the Octagon, carries power in his hands and a wrestling background that should, in theory, help him when Aliskerov looks to work inside and take things to the canvas. This is also a homecoming for Hawes, who was born, raised, and still resides in New Jersey, which, coupled with coming off a knockout loss last time out, should have him amped up and ready to go on Saturday night.
Aliskerov is a compelling new addition to the 185-pound ranks, and how things shake out this weekend will serve as a great way to establish a baseline for where he fits within the division. A strong showing against Hawes could put the sambo specialist in the fast lane to contention in the always wide-open middleweight division.
