Athletes
Magomed Ankalaev Is Back On Track
Russian Light Heavyweight Contender Has Put His Recent Frustrations Behind Him And Is Ready To Cement Himself As The Number One Contender At 205 Pounds
For a fighter that has been defeated just once, Magomed Ankalaev has had his fair share of career setbacks.
Following his dramatic last-second submission loss to Paul Craig on his UFC debut back in 2018, Ankalaev went on a tear as he quickly established himself as one of the biggest danger men in the light heavyweight division.
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After his loss to Craig, Ankalaev reeled off nine consecutive victories, defeating the likes of Ion Cutelaba (twice), and Nikita Krylov, before claiming victories over light heavyweight title challengers Volkan Oezdemir, Thiago Santos and Anthony Smith.
That run of form earned Ankalaev a title shot, which ended in controversy with a split draw with Jan Blachowicz, leaving the championship vacant. The frustration grew when he faced Johnny Walker at UFC 294 in a bout that ended in the first round and ruled a no contest after an illegal knee from Ankalaev left Walker unable to continue.
It meant that, rather than moving on and potentially fighting for the title again, Ankalaev had unfinished business to attend to, and a second-round knockout of Walker in their rematch in January closed an unwanted chapter in Ankalaev’s career as he claimed his first win in 18 months.
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Chatting to UFC.com ahead of the matchup, Ankalaev said he was happy to finally put his saga with Walker behind him and get back to the job of earning a second shot at the title.
“The biggest thing with the fight with Johnny Walker that ended in a no contest was the fact that he wasted my time a little bit,” he stated.
Full Fight | Magomed Ankalaev vs Johnny Walker 2
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Full Fight | Magomed Ankalaev vs Johnny Walker 2
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“But we are both men, and the most important thing is, of course, to have a clear win in the fight. That's what you guys saw in that (second) one. And you know, we move forward.”
Now back in the win column and looking to stake his claim for another title shot, Ankalaev takes on Austrian contender Aleksandar Rakic at UFC 308.
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It’s also a chance for Ankalaev to return to Abu Dhabi, which has been a home away from home for Russian UFC fighters over the years.
“This is a very important fight for me, especially (as it’s my) fourth one here,” he said.
“I have a lot of fans here, a lot of good fights, and hopefully this one will be another one like that. But I appreciate every one.
“We all know Rakic. We all know he's a good fighter. He can wrestle, he can strike as well.
“We all know he's a good fighter, but we just look at him as another person that's in front of my goal. So we're going to run him over and move forward.
“It’s a very good fight for me. It’s gonna be a very exciting one, but I was promised the title shot with the win in this fight, so I don't think I need any other motivation. This is the motivation that I that I have, and I'm going to work for that (title shot). So I'm going to do everything and work hard to be a champion.”
While Ankalaev’s 2023 may have been a frustrating one, it gave him the chance to grow as a fighter, both in a technical and mental sense, and he said that he returns to Abu Dhabi a mentally stronger fighter than the one who fought a no contest with Walker during his last business trip to the UAE.
“I think the most important thing is, of course, have a proper team, the right working regimen, train hard, have a goal, proper mindset, and that's exactly what we're going for – our goals,” he explained.
“The biggest growth and the most important thing was my mindset, the way I look at things and what's going on in my mind. So you guys will see a different Ankalaev this time.”
Something else Ankalaev hopes will be different is the level of support he receives from the fanbase, who he hopes will sympathize with the unusual twists and turns his career has taken over the last couple of years.
“I think the fans will be very supportive, because they, too, know that I deserve to be fighting for the belt, as well,” he said.
“So I think they're going to be behind me and support me. You know, unfortunately, my road was a little bit longer than expected, but we're going to get there, and I think that the fans will be behind me.”
And if he does get there, he could well find himself lining up opposite Alex Pereira. It’s a fight he says he knows he can win, and he thinks that he’s had a harder road as a contender than “Poatan” has had as the champion.
“Of course, I’m not looking past Rakic, but in terms of responding about Pereira, I think they're hiding him from me,” he said.
“If you look at who he's fighting, he's fighting number seven- or eight-ranked guys. Who am I fighting? I'm always (fighting) first, second, the contender.
“So, everyone knows that I'm supposed to be fighting for this belt. And all I can say is that they're trying to avoid me fighting him, but we'll get there.”
UFC 308: Topuria vs Holloway took place live from Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates on October 26, 2024. See the final Prelim & Main Card results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC Fight Pass!
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