Magomed Ankalaev was forced to tap in his first UFC fight when he went head-to-head with a vicious submission artist.
Almost seven years on from that night, the Russian has cemented his place as one of the most intimidating competitors on the planet.
With a shot against Alex Pereira for light heavyweight gold scheduled for March 8, at UFC 313, Ankalaev is on the cusp of breaking a Jon Jones record.
This makes the fact that his first contest inside the octagon ended in defeat, even more remarkable.
Sheesh: ‘Fake humble boy’ … Magomed Ankalaev slams ‘Tiktok chick’ Alex Pereira in fiery rant
Magomed Ankalaev lost via submission to Paul Craig
On March 17, 2018, Magomed Ankalaev went head-to-head with Paul Craig in an epic contest at the O2 Arena in London, UK.
In a tremendous display, the debutant did almost everything right, dismantling the Scotsman with his formidable skill set.
After two comfortable rounds, Ankalaev went out to dominate the third, which he did, until everything went wrong.
With the contest almost over, the Dagestani began battering his rival on the canvas, with a stoppage looking imminent.
Then, suddenly, Craig locked in a triangle choke, forcing Ankalaev to tap with just a second left in the contest.
The loss was a huge wake-up call for the loser, who subsequently went back to the drawing board and hasn’t lost since.
Meanwhile, Craig continued to add to his resume, beating Jamahal Hill and Shogun Rua.
Now, he’s entered a new world, competing in Insane Championship Wrestling, where he’s become an ICW Tag Team Champion.
Magomed Ankalaev sends chilling message to Alex Pereira
With Ankalaev having come on leaps and bounds since his sole loss in the UFC, many think he could have the perfect style to beat Pereira.
The pair are set to go head-to-head at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.
And having spent so long waiting for his opportunity at the throne, the challenger isn’t holding back in the trash-talking department.
With excitement to fight coursing through his veins, Ankalaev has warned Pereira of what’s to come.