Ankalaev and Guskov weigh in ahead of UFC Abu Dhabi main event

ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - JULY 24: Magomed Ankalaev celebrates after fighting against Bogdan Guskov in their light heavyweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at Etihad Arena July 24, 2026 in Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images) Magomed Ankalaev got back to his dominant winning ways, but he probably shouldn’t wait for that championship call anytime soon. In a UFC Abu Dhabi main event that was occasionally met with boos, Ankalaev put on a workmanlike performance against short-notice replacement Bogdan Guskov before finding a finish in the final round. Watch Ankalaev’s technical knockout stoppage below. Magomed Ankalaev goes full GNP for the R5 stoppage! 💪 [ #UFCAbuDhabi | LIVE on @ParamountPlus ] pic.twitter.com/ZTRGNhaWRe — UFC on Paramount+ (@UFConParamount) July 25, 2026 After only a few minutes, it was clear Guskov was not prepared to throw caution to the wind in his attempt to upset a former UFC light heavyweight champion and top 5 ranked fighter. Ankalaev invited Guskov to spar with him at range and Guskov obliged, presenting little danger and allowing Ankalaev to pick him apart on the feet. Through the first two rounds, Ankalaev had a clear advantage on the scorecards, but that had as much to do with Guskov’s complete lack of offense as it did Ankalaev’s methodical striking game. The short-notice underdog, known for his hard-hitting knockouts, looked timid against Ankalaev and it only got worse for Guskov as the fight went on. Making matters worse for the Etihad Arena crowd, who were vocal in their displeasure, Ankalaev was content to do just enough to earn 10-9s without coming close to a finish by the end of Round 3. In Round 4, Guskov needed a Hail Mary finish to win and instead he was grounded and nearly choked out by Ankalaev. The former champion later took Guskov down in the fifth and continued to cruise until Marc Goddard called for a strangely timed—but merciful—stoppage 2:41 into the round. This was an important win for Ankalaev (21-2-1), who was coming off of a disappointing 80-second loss to rival Alex Pereira in a light heavyweight championship rematch this past October. That was Ankalaev’s first loss since 2018, but with his victory Saturday he is now unbeaten in 15 of his past 16 fights. In his post-fight interview, Ankalaev put the onus on Guskov for the dull contest. View this post on Instagram “He wasn’t engaging in the striking,” Ankalaev said via a Russian translator. “I was trying to find him and he kept getting away.” Guskov (18-4-1) sees a five-fight unbeaten run come to an end after a disappointing performance. The Uzbek standout stepped into the UFC Abu Dhabi main event on 12 days’ notice after Ankalaev’s original opponent Khalil Rountree Jr. was forced out with an injury. Guskov was originally scheduled to meet Jan Blachowicz in a rematch next Saturday at UFC Belgrade.

Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates hosted Saturday's UFC Fight Night 282 event. The fight card is headlined by a light heavyweight bout between No. 2 ranked Magomed Ankalaev and No. 9 ranked Bogdan Guskov. Ankalaev entered the fight looking to rebound after ...

Magomed Ankalaev vs. Bogdan Guskov squared off in a Light Heavyweight bout earlier tonight (Sat., July 25, 2026) inside Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates for UFC Abu Dhabi. In a slow fight, Ankalaev eventually scored the late stoppage win. The main event began with an extended feeling-out process as both men touched […]

ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - JULY 24: (L-R) Opponents Magomed Ankalaev of Russia and Bogdan Guskov of Uzbekistan face off during the UFC Fight Night ceremonial weigh-in at Etihad Arena on July 24, 2026 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC) This is the live blog for Magomed Ankalaev vs. Bogdan Guskov, the light heavyweight main event for Saturday’s UFC Abu Dhabi card at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. Ankalaev (20-2-1, 1 NC) is fresh off of losing his UFC title after a brutal knockout loss to rival Alex Pereira in their rematch, his first defeat since 2018. That result bumped Ankalev down to the No. 3 spot in the MMA Fighting Global Rankings (following Pereira moving to heavyweight and Carlos Ulberg capturing a vacant 205-pound title), and he’s also holding on to the No. 17 spot in our Pound-for-Pound Rankings. Prior to his UFC 320 setback, Ankalaev was undefeated in 14 straight fights, scoring key wins over Pereira, Aleksandar Rakic, Anthony Smith, Volkan Oezdemir, and several other top contenders to claim the light heavyweight championship. However, given how long it took Ankalaev to receive serious contender consideration, it could be a while before he gets another crack at gold. If Ankalaev can’t get past Guskov (18-3-1), then it’s all but guaranteed his title hopes are over. Guskov steps in on short notice for an injured Khalil Rountree Jr. after previously being scheduled to rematch Jan Blachowicz next Saturday at UFC Belgrade. Currently the No. 12 light heavyweight in the MMA Fighting rankings, Guskov can shake up the top 5 of the division with an upset Saturday. Check out the Magomed Ankalaev vs. Bogdan Guskov live blog below. Preamble This card started out pretty poorly, but things have come alive down the stretch. Ramazan Temirov is a terrifying man. And making a case for joining the Meshew Foster Family of Fighters. Now, on to the main event. Shouldn’t take too long, I wouldn’t think. Pre Fight Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Round 4 Round 5 Official Decision Post Fight

Play-by-play action for Magomed Ankalaev vs. Bogdan Guskov at UFC Abu Dhabi

On Saturday the leading MMA promotion heads over to the Middle East to present another edition of UFC Fight Night. […]

Get UFC Abu Dhabi results for the Magomed Ankalaev vs. Bogdan Guskov event Saturday in Abu Dhabi.

Follow along for live updates and round-by-round scoring for UFC Fight Night 282 in Abu Dhabi.

The octagon is at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates for this weekend’s UFC Fight Night: Ankalaev vs. Guskov event. The fight card is headlined by a light heavyweight bout between No. 2 ranked Magomed Ankalaev and No. 9 ranked Bogdan Guskov. The event ...

Magomed Ankalev faces Bogdan Guskov in a key light heavyweight contest at UFC Abu Dhabi

Follow UFC Abu Dhabi live results and round-by-round updates for the Magomed Ankalaev vs. Bogdan Guskov fight card on Saturday morning in Abu Dhabi.

Light heavyweight collide in the main event from Abu Dhabi

MMA Fighting previews the UFC Abu Dhabi fight card, headlined by Magomed Ankalaev vs. Bogdan Guskov

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - OCTOBER 04: Magomed Ankalaev looks on prior to a light heavyweight title bout against Alex Pereira of Brazil in UFC 320: Ankalaev vs Pereira 2 at T-Mobile Arena on October 04, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) | Getty Images The UFC is back in Abu Dhabi, with light heavyweight title implications on the line. On Saturday, the UFC returns to Etihad Arena for #UFC Abu Dhabi, headlined by a 205-pound matchup between former champion Magomed Ankalaev and rising contender Bogdan Guskov. But will either man punch their ticket to a title fight next? Ahead of Saturday’s event, MMA Fighting’s Jed Meshew and Alexander K. Lee preview UFC Abu Dhabi and what’s at stake in the main event. Additionally, Jed and AK discuss the flyweight co-main event between Steve Erceg and Ramizan Temirov, pick out their favorite fights from the rest of the card, chat about the PFL event in Washington, D.C., answer viewer questions, and more. Catch the UFC Abu Dhabi preview show video above. An audio-only version of the show can be found below and on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you find your favorite podcasts. View Link

UFC Abu Dhabi is headlined by the return of former champ Magomed Ankalaev, who takes on rising light heavyweight contender Bogdan Guskov.

Dan Tom dives deep into the UFC Fight Night 282 light heavyweight main event in Abu Dhabi, featuring ex-champion Magomed Ankalaev as a 6-1 favorite.

The entire UFC Abu Dhabi card headlined by Magomed Ankalaev vs. Bogdan Guskov had final faceoffs at ceremonial weigh-ins.

All fighters made weight for Saturday’s UFC Abu Dhabi

Magomed Ankalaev and Bogdan Guskov did their weight cuts correct and the UFC Abu Dhabi main event is now official.

The octagon is at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates for this weekend's UFC Fight Night: Ankalaev vs. Guskov event. The fight card is headlined by a light heavyweight bout between No. 2 ranked Magomed Ankalaev and No. 9 ranked Bogdan Guskov. The event will mark the ...

Magomed Ankalaev and Bogdan Guskov clash in the main event of UFC Abu Dhabi

At the UFC Abu Dhabi weigh-ins, all 26 fighters on Saturday’s fight card step on the scale Friday in Azerbaijan. Watch ceremonial weigh-ins above, set to kick off at 10 a.m. ET. In the main event, former UFC light heavyweight champion Magomed Ankalaev fights fast-rising contender Bogdan Guskov. Both fighters can weigh no more than the 206 pound limit for their non-title fight. Ankalaev is currently No. 3 at light heavyweight in the MMA Fighting Global Rankings, while Guskov stands at No. 12. Coming off of his first loss since 2018, a title fight defeat to Alex Pereira, Ankalaev also holds a spot in the MMA Fighting Pound-for-Pound Rankings at No. 17. In the co-main event, one-time UFC title challenger Steve Erceg squares off with Ramazan Temirov in a flyweight contest. Neither man may weigh more than 126 pounds. Check out the UFC Abu Dhabi weigh-in results below. Main Card (Paramount+ at 12 p.m. ET) Magomed Ankalaev vs. Bogdan Guskov Steve Erceg vs. Ramazan Temirov Islam Dulatov vs. Wellington Turman Magomed Zaynukov vs. Damian Rzepecki Rizvan Kuniev vs. Tyrell Fortune Abubakar Vagaev vs. Saygid Izagakhmaev Preliminary Card (Paramount+ at 9 a.m. ET) Valter Walker vs. Thomas Petersen Dustin Jacoby vs. Muhammad Saidov Santiago Ponzinibbio vs. Sam Patterson Ismael Bonfim vs. Axel Sola Magomed Tuchalov vs. Brendson Ribeiro Mike Davis vs. Nurullo Aliev Cody Gibson vs. Abdul Hussein