Ankalaev’s Return to the Octagon
Magomed Ankalaev secured a victory over Bogdan Guskov by TKO at 2:41 in the fifth round during the main event of UFC Fight Night in Abu Dhabi, UAE, on Saturday. This win marks Ankalaev’s return to the win column after his previous bout. The 34-year-old Russian faced Guskov, who stepped in as a replacement for Khalil Rountree Jr., who was originally scheduled to compete against Ankalaev.
Ankalaev’s last fight was at UFC 320 last October, where he lost the UFC light heavyweight title to Alex Pereira. That title defence ended in a first-round knockout, occurring just 80 seconds into the fight.
Fight Progression and Strategy
During the initial three rounds of the fight in Abu Dhabi, Ankalaev appeared to struggle with his rhythm, as Guskov adopted a defensive strategy. However, as the fight progressed into the fourth round, Ankalaev began to find success by taking the fight to the ground. He managed to control the bout from this position against the 33-year-old Uzbekistan native.
Ankalaev continued this approach in the fifth round, eventually overwhelming Guskov on the mat. This sustained pressure led to the referee stepping in, resulting in a TKO victory for Ankalaev. The event, also known as UFC Fight Night 281, featured other bouts throughout the day.
Other Bouts and Future Implications
The UFC Abu Dhabi event included several other fights. One early bantamweight battle featured Gibson (21-12, 3-7 UFC) against Hussein (15-2, 0-0 UFC). Hussein, the shorter fighter, initiated the action with a jab, while Gibson responded with hooks. Gibson attempted a front kick, which appeared to hit the cup, but Hussein continued without flinching. Gibson later secured a double-leg entry, taking Hussein to the ground, and attempted a guillotine choke, then an anaconda choke, and a ninja choke. Hussein, however, remained composed and escaped these submission attempts, ending up in a north-south position.
In another exchange, Gibson used a leglock attempt to return to his feet, pressing Hussein against the wall and landing knees to the stomach. Hussein then broke away, taking a low kick. Gibson landed a clip during dirty boxing, and Hussein retaliated with an uppercut. The two fighters exchanged blows, with Gibson targeting the body and Hussein landing a right hand. Hussein later grabbed Gibson and delivered knees to the forehead, as Gibson showed signs of fading.
Judges Ben Duffy and Tudor Leonte scored the first round 10-9 for Gibson. In the second round, Hussein attempted a brabo choke, which Gibson managed to escape, though he appeared to be struggling. Hussein then postured up and struck Gibson. Duffy scored this round 10-8 for Hussein, while Leonte scored it 10-9 for Hussein.
Hussein eventually secured his 10th career submission, extending his finish streak to nine straight, by initiating an arm-triangle choke after a trip took Gibson to the ground. Gibson surrendered to the choke, leading to Hussein’s victory.
Another fight saw Davis face a fighter from Tajikistan, who countered with a single-leg shot. Davis used the fence to return to his feet, but was immediately tripped again. Davis managed to sit up and engage in a standing clinch, landing shoulder strikes. The Tajik fighter focused on maintaining position, eventually securing a double-leg takedown. He then landed knees to Davis’s thigh and posterior.
Davis fought back to his feet multiple times, despite being controlled by his opponent. Davis attempted elbows from his guard, and later rolled to nearly take his opponent’s back. However, his opponent twisted to put Davis on his back. Davis then employed a high guard to attempt a triangle choke, using it to land elbows. The round ended before he could secure the submission. Duffy and Leonte both scored this round 10-9 for Davis.
In a later round, Davis launched a barrage of punches, but his opponent responded with a single-leg shot, dragging Davis to the ground again. Davis repositioned himself against the fence. His opponent landed knees to the buttocks and spine, which went unnoticed by the referee. Davis exploded back to his feet, but his opponent maintained control against the cage. The round concluded with Davis landing a quick salvo of punches. Duffy and Leonte both scored this round 10-9 for the fighter from Tajikistan.
The fight continued with the Tajik fighter pressing Davis against the fence, attempting to maintain position by grabbing the fence, for which he was warned by the referee. Davis received more knees to the hindquarters while attempting elbows. The Tajik fighter consistently worked for takedowns. Davis used a knee to create space, and then bowled over his opponent, landing on top. His opponent shelled up and held Davis’s wrists, leading to a complaint from Davis. Unexpectedly, his opponent exploded into an armbar as time expired.
Following his win, Ankalaev is now considered a strong contender to face UFC light heavyweight champion Carlos Ulberg. Ulberg is anticipated to return to competition in 2027 after recovering from a torn ACL.
Source: sportsnet.ca
