Saturday's UFC on ABC 6 card was the the promotion's first on Saudi Arabian soil, and it debuted in the country with some great matchups in some of the MMA's best divisions.

The headlining spot went to a middleweight fight between former champion Robert Whittaker and rising contender Ikram Aliskerov.

Whittaker had initially been set to fight unbeaten star Khamzat Chimaev, but he agreed to a short-notice clash with Aliskerov when his original opponent was laid low with an illness. He won the fight in style, scoring a stunning first-round knockout—his first finish since 2017.

The co-main event, meanwhile, was an all-Russian showdown at heavyweight, with Alexander Volkov taking on Sergei Pavlovich.

In a great display of veteran craftiness, Volkov outfought his hulking opponent to a unanimous decision, pushing himself closer to a title shot in the process.

Other big winners on the card included Shara Magomedov, who stopped short-notice opponent Antonio Trocoli with a volley of strikes in Round 3, and former light heavyweight title challenger Volkan Oezdemir, who scored one of the most vicious knockouts of the year at the expense of Johnny Walker in the first round.

Scroll on for the fights we're hoping will be made when the card's big winners are all healed up.

Robert Whittaker vs. Sean Strickland

Every now and then, the stage is set for a matchup that is so obvious and sensible that anything else would be a mistake.

Such is the case with a middleweight fight between Robert Whittaker and Sean Strickland after UFC on ABC 6.

Like Whittaker, Strickland is a former champion in the division, having won the belt with a decision triumph over Israel Adesanya in 2023. He lost the belt with a decision defeat to Dricus Du Plessis earlier this year, but he has since rebounded with a decision win over Paulo Costa.

At this point, both Whittaker and Strickland arguably deserve a rematch with Du Plessis, but after the UFC announced a title fight between the champion and Adesanya, it's clear they will need another win before that happens.

It makes sense for the two of them to duke it out in the meantime. That way, there's an obvious No. 1 contender waiting for the Du Plessis vs. Adesanya winner.

Alexander Volkov vs. Derrick Lewis II

For a short time, Sergei Pavlovich was the scariest fighter in the UFC heavyweight division, particularly after Francis Ngannou parted ways with the promotion.

Pavlovich's fearsome reputation took a hit when he was stopped by Tom Aspinall in an interim title fight last November, but his UFC on ABC 6 decision loss to Alexander Volkov was far more damaging, as he was comprehensively outfought by a craftier competitor over three rounds.

For Volkov, it was a hugely important victory. While the towering Russian has struggled with consistency in the past, he has now won four straight, and he is likely only one win away from a crack at the title, which has thus far eluded him.

Having been a member of the UFC heavyweight division for years, Volkov has already fought many of his ranked peers, and with many of the division's best fighters already committed to other matchups, a rematch may be unavoidable.

Of all the rematches available, none make more sense for the Russian than a do-over with Derrick Lewis. Volkov first met the American at UFC 229 in 2018 when, despite a totally dominant performance for most of the fight, he suffered a devastating knockout loss in the final seconds

Today, with Volkov surging back into title contention and Lewis barely clinging to his spot in the rankings, a rematch makes all the sense in the world.

For Lewis, it's a chance to get back into the title conversation; for Volkov, it's an opportunity to avenge a loss that ended a six-fight win streak—and a possible title shot—several years ago.

Shara Magomedov vs. Bo Nickal

Russia's Shara Magomedov is quickly becoming one of the most talked-about fighters in the UFC, due primarily to his perfect record and habit for flashy finishes, but also due to the fact that he fights with one eye.

"Shara Bullet" picked up his 13th win in as many fights on Saturday, defeating short-notice opponent Antonio Trocoli by third-round stoppage. After the win, he has dozens of interesting options at middleweight, but the best seems to be a clash with unbeaten wrestling specialist Bo Nickal.

Shortly after Magomedov stopped Trocoli, Nickal took to X to call him out.

We like it. This fight makes sense for both guys.

Both are undefeated and ready for a step up in competition, and it's a great style clash on paper. The only wrinkle in this plan is that Magomedov is unlikely to be allowed to fight in the U.S. due to his vision issues, so Nickal will need to venture off home turf.

Provided the American is up for that, this is the fight to make.

Volkan Oezdemir vs. Jan Blachowicz

Volkan Oezdemir proved he is still a contender at light heavyweight on Saturday, shutting the lights off on Johnny Walker inside a round.

After the fight, he has some great matchup options at his fingertips, most notably Jamahal Hill, Khalil Rountree and Jan Blachowicz.

Any of those men would make fantastic opponents for him, but Hill and Rountree were scheduled to fight at UFC 303, and they should be rebooked to fight each other as soon as they're clear of the issues that forced them off the card.

That just leaves Blachowicz, and that's no problem.

He hasn't fought since a decision loss to Alex Pereira last summer, but he will hopefully be ready to fight again soon. As a former champ, he's a well-deserved step up for Oezdemir, and the two also match up well on paper, as a pair of vicious knockout strikers with underrated ground games.

Book it for a PPV main card or a fight night main event.