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Personal Information
| Full Name | Magomed Alibulatovich Ankalaev |
| Date of Birth | June 2, 1992 |
| Nationality | Russian |
| Height | 6 feet 2 inches (191 cm) |
Magomed Ankalaev: A Brief Biography
Magomed Alibulatovich Ankalaev is a Russian mixed martial artist hailing from Dagestan, who was born on June 2, 1992, and he now fights in the Ultimate Fighting Championship's (UFC) Light Heavyweight division. Ankalaev previously competed in World Fighting Championship Akhmat, where he was the light heavyweight champion. He is currently ranked No.4 among light heavyweights in the UFC as of December 6, 2022.
Latest News Update for Magomed Ankalaev
Ankalaev and Jan Bachowicz were slated to square off on December 10, 2022, at UFC 282. However, after Jiří Procházka relinquished his light heavyweight title due to a significant shoulder injury, the contest was changed to a title fight for the vacant UFC light heavyweight championship.
UFC 282 Main Event - Blachowicz vs. Ankalaev
Early Life and Career
During his first year of study at the Dagestan State University, where he received his degree in the sports faculty, Ankalaev trained in Greco-Roman wrestling. He also competed in combat sambo at that time, earning the honorary title of Master of Sports in the discipline. Because MMA and combat sambo are similar, Ankalaev was drawn to the thought of switching to MMA.
Ankalaev later won both the Russian and World amateur MMA championships. The Russian MMA Federation additionally selected Ankalaev as the 2015 Mixed Martial Artist of Russia.
Magomed Ankalaev’s Career in UFC
At UFC Fight Night: Werdum vs. Volkov in March 2018, Ankalaev faced Paul Craig in his UFC debut. Ankalaev controlled the battle for the better part of two rounds, winning with crisp striking, takedowns, and top control. In the first round, Ankalaev seriously injured Craig with a body kick. Ankalaev suffered his first professional defeat at precisely 4:59 of round three when Craig caught him with a triangle choke in the final five seconds of the round.
Ankalaev was slated to face Marcin Prachnio on September 15, 2018, at UFC Fight Night: Hunt vs. Oleinik, in an effort to bounce back from this defeat. After a sluggish start, Ankalaev successfully countered with a right hook, knocking Prachnio to the ground. After getting to his feet, Prachnio was then struck with a head kick, followed by a punch, knocking him out cold. Ankalaev received the Performance of the Night award and his first UFC victory thanks to the knockout.
Ankalaev has never been defeated after his debut and is currently on a 9-fight winning streak.
Ankalaev and Jan Bachowicz will be fighting for the vacant title of UFC Light Heavyweight Champion on UFC 282. This will be his first championship fight in the UFC.
Magomed Ankalaev Record
| Result | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date |
| Win | 18–1 | Anthony Smith | TKO (punches) | UFC 277 | 30 July 2022 |
| Win | 17–1 | Thiago Santos | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Santos vs. Ankalaev | 12 March 2022 |
| Win | 16–1 | Volkan Oezdemir | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 267 | 30 October 2021 |
| Win | 15–1 | Nikita Krylov | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Rozenstruik vs. Gane | 27 February 2021 |
| Win | 14–1 | Ion Cuțelaba | KO (punches) | UFC 254 | 24 October 2020 |
| Win | 13–1 | Ion Cuțelaba | TKO (head kicks and punches) | UFC Fight Night: Benavidez vs. Figueiredo | 29 February 2020 |
| Win | 12–1 | Dalcha Lungiambula | KO (front kick and punch) | UFC Fight Night: Magomedsharipov vs. Kattar | 9 November 2019 |
| Win | 11–1 | Klidson Abreu | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Błachowicz vs. Santos | 23 February 2019 |
| Win | 10–1 | Marcin Prachnio | KO (head kick and punches) | UFC Fight Night: Hunt vs. Oleinik | 15 September 2018 |
| Loss | 9–1 | Paul Craig | Submission (triangle choke) | UFC Fight Night: Werdum vs. Volkov | 17 March 2018 |
| Win | 9–0 | Celso Ricardo da Silva | KO (punches) | WFCA 43 | 4 October 2017 |
| Win | 8–0 | Wagner Prado | KO (punches) | WFCA 38 | 21 June 2017 |
| Win | 7–0 | Maxim Grishin | TKO (punches) | WFCA 30 | 4 October 2016 |
| Win | 6–0 | Artur Astakhov | Decision (unanimous) | WFCA 23 | 11 June 2016 |
| Win | 5–0 | Lloyd Marshbanks | TKO (submission to punches) | WFCA 18 | 9 April 2016 |
| Win | 4–0 | Nadir Bulkhadarov | TKO (punches) | Supercup of Russia 2015 | 5 December 2015 |
| Win | 3–0 | Döwletjan Ýagşymyradow | Decision (unanimous) | Oplot Challenge 103 | 18 October 2014 |
| Win | 2–0 | Strahinja Denić | Decision (unanimous) | Tesla Fighting Championship 4 | 14 June 2014 |
| Win | 1–0 | Vasily Babich | Decision (majority) | Oplot Challenge 96 | 18 January 2014 |
Magomed Ankalaev’s Most Popular Fights
Magomed Ankalaev vs. Ion Cuţelaba 1
At UFC Fight Night 169 on February 29, 2020, Ankalaev squared off against Ion Cuţelaba. He won the bout via a first-round TKO. The victory was not without controversy, however, as Cuțelaba protested the decision to end the fight after referee Kevin MacDonald thought he was out on his feet while still standing. The event commentators, MMA experts, and UFC competitors all agreed that the stoppage was premature.
Magomed Ankalaev vs. Ion Cuţelaba 2
On August 15, 2020, at UFC 252, a rematch with Cuțelaba was expected to take place. The fight was then rescheduled for UFC Fight Night 175 after Cuțelaba withdrew on August 11 after testing positive for COVID-19. The fight was once again postponed, as Cuţelaba tested positive for COVID-19 a second time. At UFC 254, they ultimately squared off. Ankalaev once again won the bout via a first-round knockout. He was awarded Performance of the Night for his triumph.
FAQ’s on Magomed Ankalaev
Who has Magomed Ankalaev lost to in the UFC?
Magomed Ankalaev has only lost to Paul Craig in the UFC.
How many fights has Magomed Ankalaev had in the UFC?
Ankalaev has fought a total of 10 times in the UFC.
Where is Magomed Ankalaev from?
Ankalaev hails from Dagestan in Russia. It also happens to be the hometown of former champion Khabib Nurmagomedov and current UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev.
What is Magomed Ankalaev’s current rank in the UFC?
Ankalaev is currently ranked 4th in the Light Heavyweight standings in the UFC.
*Last Updated On December 6th, 2022
