Ikram Aliskerov and Park Jun-yong were set to square off in a pivotal middleweight clash at UFC 321 in a matchup between two surging finishers looking to break into the UFC rankings.
Aliskerov (16-2) entered the bout fresh off a TKO win over André Muniz in April. He’d look to spark a new winning streak after his previous run was halted by a loss to former champion Robert Whittaker last June.
Park (19-6) had quietly built an impressive UFC resume, going 9-3 inside the Octagon. A win over Aliskerov at UFC 321 could very well earn him a spot in the middleweight rankings by Monday.
Round 1 – Both men came out technical and reserved, with an early nut shot kicking off the action. Aliskerov quickly shrugged it off and pressed forward with a jab. Park replied with a right hand over the top, making sure it cleared the jab.
Aliskerov kept his jab working, mixing in an occasional leg kick and teep as Park turned into the aggressor. Aliskerov then turned to his grappling and took Park down twice, but couldn’t hold him there either time. The round ended as he was given a warning about grabbing shorts.
Round 2 – Park came out hard in Round 2, looking to land some big right hands down the middle, landing at will early. Aliskerov returned a nice combination with a body shot and a clean left hook, landing some teep kicks too. Park wasn’t deterred and kept up the pace, forcing big exchanges with hooks landed on both sides.
Aliskerov managed to get a big takedown halfway through the round but didn’t do much on top, keeping Park down until the 30-second mark. Park got up and immediately looked to mount some offense, ending the round with Aliskerov pressed on the cage.
Round 3 – Park came out looking to melt Aliskerov and test his cardio, putting crazy pressure on him early and forcing him against the cage. Park targeted the body with some clean hooks, but was taken down while pushing forward. He worked his way back to his feet quickly and got right back to work, walking through a massive knee.
Aliskerov landed some short jabs and left hands as Park had him pressed against the cage, turning it into a crucial takedown. From there, he got Park’s back and locked in a body triangle, effectively trapping Park and threatening the submission until the bell rang.
Official Result: Ikram Aliskerov def. Jun Yong Park via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
