Getty Images/UFC
The
Ultimate Fighting Championship‘s latest foray into Abu Dhabi
was marked by a grinding main event and a highlight-reel
co-feature.
In Saturday’s headliner, former 205-pound kingpin Magomed
Ankalaev ground down short-notice replacement Bogdan
Guskov before stopping him with punches in the fifth round.
Much more to the fans’ delight, Ramazonbek
Temirov needed just one round to flatline former flyweight
title challenger Steve Erceg
with a thunderous right hand in the co-main event. Overall, the
UFC Abu Dhabi event saw eight finishes out of 12 matchups.
Here are some possible matchups for the winners of the UFC Abu
Dhabi main card.
What’s next for Magomed Ankalaev?
Ankalaev (21-2-1, 1 NC; 13-2-1, 1 NC UFC) ground out Guskov in a
one-sided but forgettable main event. The Russian dictated the
exchanges over the first three frames before switching to
wrestling, where he battered a defeated Guskov,
stopping his opponent with punches at the 2:41 mark of Round 5.
Ankalaev had everything to lose here, with Guskov stepping in on
short notice for Khalil
Rountree. With the win banked, attention turns to what comes
next: a shot at the title held by Carlos
Ulberg. “Black Jag” is currently sidelined by injury, but a
return early next year seems plausible.
Who can stop “Tamerlan?”
In the co-feature,
Rizin Fighting Federation alum Ramazonbek
Temirov (20-3, 3-0 UFC) flatlined former 125-pound title
challenger Erceg. Coming off a year-long suspension, “Tamerlan”
showed no signs of cage rust and
stopped his opponent with one clean right hand at the 4:21 mark of
the opening round, running his winning streak to 12. While
Temirov asked for a title shot afterward, the flyweight may first
need to get past Asu
Almabayev to crack the top of the flyweight rankings. Almabayev
is fresh off a decisive win over Charles
Johnson and chasing a shot of his own. Let the two clash; fun
will follow.
Related »
UFC Abu Dhabi round-by-round scoring
“Chanco” Unchained
Dana
White’s Contender Series graduate Magomed
Zaynukov (9-0, 1-0 UFC) won the spectators over as he overcame
Damian
Rzepecki in their lightweight tilt. Zaynukov put his muay thai
background to work, slicing Rzepecki with a variety of elbows to
take the battle of UFC newcomers. The Khabib
Nurmagomedov protégé dominated the striking exchanges from top
to bottom, earning three 30-27 marks from judges. The potential
seems to be there, and fans will now wonder how “Wild Chanco” fares
against a fighter who pairs a solid wrestling base with real
finishing power, like Thomas
Gantt. That bout would also show how far he can climb in a
crowded 155-pound division.
Kuniev brings the knees
The 34-year-old Rizvan
Kuniev (14-3-1, 1 NC; 2-1 UFC) broke Tyrell
Fortune down methodically in their heavyweight meeting. The
DWCS alum picked his foe apart with nasty body work and punches
that left their mark on the Bellator
MMA veteran’s face. Referee Jim Perdios mercifully waved it off
at 1:12 of Round 3,
following a series of knees that broke Fortune’s will. With the
top of the heavyweight division booked and the rankings crying out
for fresh names, a clash with Josh Hokit
makes the most sense next. The winner would be just one step away
from a shot at the title.
Welcome to the Big Leagues
Former
Absolute Championship Akhmat 170-pound titleholder Abubakar
Vagaev (25-4, 1-0 UFC) made his UFC debut with a win over
Saygid
Izagakhmaev, though he didn’t dazzle. The 33-year-old Chechen
leaned heavily on his aggressive wrestling, smothering his
Dagestani opponent’s offense through the opening frames before
hanging on through a perilous third. Still, the scorecards read
29-28 in Vagaev’s favor. To make a statement quickly, Vagaev could
lock horns with Jean-Paul
Lebosnoyani, a well-rounded fighter still searching for his own
signature UFC moment. Both own solid resumes, and a meeting would
push each to prove he belongs.