Ankalaev vs Guskov result: fifth-round TKO restarts title chase
Magomed Ankalaev stopped Bogdan Guskov in Round 5 at UFC Fight Night in Abu Dhabi and said he is hunting for the belt he lost.
By Deshawn Carter · Sports Writer
3 min read
Magomed Ankalaev’s bounce-back night ended with ground strikes and a clear message to the UFC light heavyweight division. The Ankalaev Guskov result was a fifth-round TKO at UFC Fight Night inside Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, according to ESPN.
Ankalaev, fighting for the first time since losing the UFC light heavyweight championship in October, beat Bogdan Guskov at 2:41 of Round 5. ESPN reported that Guskov covered up from strikes on the mat before the stoppage.
The win moved Ankalaev to 22-2-1, while Guskov fell to 18-4-1, according to the UFC Fightcenter listing. The bout was the light heavyweight main event.
Afterward, Ankalaev said through an interpreter that he had been away for a long time and was now beginning his hunt for “the thing I lost,” ESPN reported.
What happened in Ankalaev vs Guskov?
ESPN’s Brett Okamoto reported that the 205-pound fight was one-sided, with Guskov spending long stretches circling away and avoiding extended striking exchanges. UFC Stats credited Ankalaev with a 122-42 edge in strikes.
Guskov entered the matchup on short notice after Khalil Rountree Jr., Ankalaev’s original opponent, withdrew because of an injury, according to ESPN. The Uzbekistani fighter accepted the assignment but struggled to turn it into offense.
Ankalaev said afterward that Guskov was not engaging on the feet and that he had to go find him. ESPN reported that Ankalaev turned more heavily to wrestling in the fourth and fifth rounds, taking Guskov down after the stand-up exchanges failed to develop.
Once the fight hit the floor late, Guskov offered little resistance to takedowns or attempts to get back up, according to ESPN. At one point, ESPN reported, Guskov’s corner urged him not to give up.
What does the win mean for Ankalaev?
Ankalaev entered Saturday as the UFC’s No. 1-ranked light heavyweight contender, according to ESPN, so the result keeps him near the front of the title line. Current champion Carlos Ulberg is out indefinitely with a knee injury, ESPN reported.
Ankalaev is also chasing another fight with Alex Pereira. ESPN reported that Ankalaev beat Pereira by decision in March 2025 to become UFC champion, then lost the immediate rematch in October when Pereira knocked him out.
Pereira has since moved to heavyweight, according to ESPN. Ankalaev has said he would move up as well if that is what it takes to complete a trilogy.
Saturday’s finish gives Ankalaev the kind of clean return he needed after nine months away. ESPN reported that he had said before the fight he would bring an “angry” approach after sitting with the disappointment of the Pereira loss.
Other UFC Fight Night results from Abu Dhabi
- Ramazon Temirov defeated Steve Erceg by first-round KO/TKO with punches in a flyweight bout, according to UFC Fightcenter.
- Maxim Zaynukov defeated Daryl Rzepecki by unanimous decision in a lightweight bout, according to UFC Fightcenter.
- Rizvan Kuniev defeated Tyrell Fortune by third-round KO/TKO with a knee in a heavyweight bout, according to UFC Fightcenter.
- Valter Walker submitted Tresean Petersen with a calf slicer in the first round of a heavyweight bout, according to UFC Fightcenter.
This story draws on original reporting from ESPN.com.