Magomed Ankalaev is a truly promising Daghestani MMA fighter who currently competes in the UFC’s light heavyweight division. In his professional MMA career, this Russian fighter secured 17 victories out of his 18 MMA appearances and faced one loss against Paul Craig.
Ankalaev is currently in 9th fight winning streak which made him one of the worthiest contenders for the UFC light heavyweight title. During the UFC 282 media day Ankalaev talked about how he got his new opponent:
“I basically did step by step, I always fought whoever they put in front of me, I didn’t pick my opponents, and I pretty much knew that at some point, they would not have a choice but to give me a title fight,”
This 30-year-old is set to face the Polish MMA artist Jan Blachowicz at the main event of UFC 282 on December 10, 2022, at the T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, Nevada, for the vacant UFC light heavyweight title.
“I can’t say anything bad about Blachowicz as an opponent. He’s a great fighter, a great guy, but this fight is my dream. This is my opportunity. I will do whatever I have to do to make sure I come out of that octagon with a title.”
Ankalaev is so certain about his victory that at one point of the press conference he said that he does not care about his opponent he just knows that he trained and fought hard which earned him the title shot so he will do whatever it takes to grab the title.
“I’m not really worried about legendary Polish power or anything else. I want to dominate the fight from the beginning to the end. I want to make sure I am the one who is the aggressor. I will do whatever I have to do to walk out with that title.”
Jan Blachowicz lost his UFC light heavyweight title to Glover Teixeira at UFC 267 so the polish will also hit hard to regain the title.
