Magomed Ankalaev

Magomed Ankalaev is a former UFC light heavyweight champion from Dagestan, Russia, built on a combat sambo foundation and a famously disciplined southpaw counter game. He took the belt from Alex Pereira with a unanimous decision at UFC 313, then lost it back in brutal fashion when Pereira stopped him in 80 seconds at UFC 320. That defeat snapped a run of more than a decade without a loss — his only other defeat came in his UFC debut in 2018, when Paul Craig submitted him with one second left. Now he returns in Abu Dhabi looking to prove the rematch was a blip and force his way straight back into the title conversation.