UFC 313 star Magomed Ankalaev leaped toward the Top 15 with a wild knockout in Moscow.
Magomed Ankalaev, after a disappointing UFC debut loss to Paul Craig, had to prove himself in the light heavyweight division. Three fights later, Ankalaev solidified himself as a matchup nightmare with a brutal knockout in his home country.
Ankalaev and Dalcha Lungiambula clashed in a light heavyweight bout at UFC Fight Night: Magomedsharipov vs. Kattar in Nov. 2019. Ankalaev entered the card off of back-to-back wins to move closer to a Top 15 ranking.
Ankalaev, one of many Dagestani combat sports standouts, was out to prove a point against Lungiambula. While he was primarily labeled as a wrestler, he showed a new dimension of his game in front of a raucous crowd in Moscow.
Magomed Ankalaev slept Dalcha Lungiambula in Moscow with a front kick
It was a back-and-forth clash between Ankalaev and Lungiambula over the first two rounds, with both fighters having strong moments early. Ankalaev frustrated Lungiambula with his pace and pressure, while Lungiambula started to find some momentum as the fight went on.
In Round 3, Ankalaev found a massive opening and took advantage of it just 29 seconds into the round. He landed a front kick that landed flush to Lungiambula’s chin, sending his opponent collapsing backwards, unconscious.
It was Ankalaev’s second UFC finish after knocking out Marcin Prachnio with a head kick in Sept. 2018. The victory helped propel his current 13-fight unbeaten streak and his second career UFC title shot this weekend against Alex Pereira.
A former UFC light heavyweight champ picked Magomed Ankalaev to win at UFC 313
Pereira is expected to face potentially the toughest test of his light heavyweight title reign this weekend against Ankalaev. Former UFC titleholder Jamahal Hill predicted an Ankalaev win during a recent podcast episode, saying he wouldn’t be surprised if Pereira lost by knockout.
Pereira is already preparing for Ankalaev to make up excuses for a loss at UFC 313. Leading up to the pay-per-view event, Ankalaev revealed how Ramadan has impacted his preparations for the title fight.
If Ankalaev is victorious this weekend, a rematch with Pereira is likely. The two sides also have a $200k bet on the line for charity.
While Ankalaev is expected to test Pereira with his wrestling this weekend at UFC 313, Pereira and his team are well aware of the dangers Ankalaev presents on the feet. Expect fireworks this weekend in the UFC 313 headliner.