Ikram Aliskerov made an impact in the cage and on the microphone during his first UFC appearance.
In a quick gun-slinging contest at UFC 288, Aliskerov (14-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) slumped Phil Hawes (12-5 MMA, 4-3 UFC) with a pinpoint right hand that ended the bout in walk-off fashion at 2:10 of Round 1.
The middleweight bout took place at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.
For as long as it lasted, Aliskerov and Hawes traded heavy strikes. Each exchange had bad intentions. The finishing sequence was a textbook one-two punch. The two put the lights out. Hawes flopped to the canvas with his right foot awkwardly tucked under him. No follow-up shots were thrown or needed.
After the fight, Aliskerov broke out his English and called out rising star Bo Nickal (4-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC), who is 1-0 in the promotion and has a bout scheduled for July 8 vs. Tresean Gore at UFC 290.
“Hey, Bo Nickal,” Aliskerov said. “I heard you want to fight with Dagestan guy. Hey, bro. I’m here. I’ll be waiting for your answer. I’ll be ready.”
The bout was Aliserkov’s first under the promotion’s banner after he earned a UFC contract with a quick submission on “Dana White’s Contender Series” in September.
Hawes fell to 1-3 in his most recent four bouts. All four of those defeats were by knockout.