Magomed Ankalaev is targeting UFC two-division champion status in the near future.
Ankalaev captured the light heavyweight crown earlier this year at UFC 313, narrowly defeating former champion Alex Pereira via a hard-fought unanimous decision in March.
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Now, “Big Ank” is setting his sights on moving up a weight class to assert his dominance on an even bigger stage. But before he can chase those ambitions, the Russian champion must first settle the score with Pereira in their highly anticipated rematch, headlining UFC 320 on October 4 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
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Since joining the UFC light heavyweight division in March 2018, Magomed Ankalaev has faced nearly every top contender and compiled an impressive 14-fight unbeaten streak, including notable wins over Aleksandar Rakic, Johnny Walker, and Thiago Santos.
If “Big Ank” overcomes Alex Pereira once more at UFC 320, he will have little left to prove in the 205-pound division and would instantly be a contender among the heavyweights. During a recent interview with Ushatayka, the reigning UFC light heavyweight champion revealed his plans to fight at least two more times before stepping up to the heavyweight division to test his skills against the biggest names in the sport.
A heavy weight? These thoughts keep coming to me,” Ankalaev said. “I think a couple or three more fights. I think, two fights, and then I will think of moving to the heavy division.
Ankalaev’s sole professional loss came at UFC London in March 2018, where he fell to Paul Craig via a last-minute submission. Since then, the only mark on his UFC record was a draw against former champion Jan Blachowicz for the 205-pound title at UFC 282 in December 2022.
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