Khabib Nurmagomedov will surely go down as the GOAT of the lightweight division. Ever since retiring at UFC 254, Khabib transitioned into a coach and a promoter, and he’s keeping a close eye on all the fighters from his country.
With the Eagle’s stellar record and experience, no one dares disregard anything Khabib says. And in an interview with RT Sports, Khabib spoke very highly of fellow Russian Magomed Ankalaev. In the interview, he was asked to name his top 3 Russian fighters. Naming them by weight class, Khabib said, “I would like to mention Ankalaev. He has big chances to become a champion in 93(LHW).”
It’s clear that Khabib thinks very of Ankalaev and isn’t just saying it to flatter him. This became evident when he was talking about the middleweights and heavyweights when he said “At heavyweight, I don’t see anyone. I don’t see anyone at all. In 84, who is there? There is no one.”
Magomed Ankalaev, the current #3 ranked light heavyweight will surely be very pleased. Having Khabib praise you must feel good. And Khabib was right as Ankalaev has now crept his way into a title eliminator against Jan Blachowicz at UFC 282.
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Should Magomed Ankalaev’s next fight be for the LHW title?
Though his career in the UFC didn’t start off in the best fashion, Magomed Ankalaev has since made a huge impact in the UFC’s 205lb division. He has gone on a 9-fight win streak beating dangerous fighters like Thiago Santos and Anthony Smith. He currently sits at #3 on the LHW rankings.
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Standing at 6’4″, Ankalaev is quite big for the division. With a reach advantage over most, he uses it to the best of his abilities by combining it with his deadly striking. He will face Jan Blachowicz next at UFC 282 in a fight many consider to be a title eliminator. Should Ankalaev win, he will be the new #1 contender for the LHW title.
If Ankalaev fights for the title, whoever he fights will present an interesting clash of styles. Jiri Prochazka and Glover Texeira are both interesting matchups for him. Jiri is predominantly a striker and two strikers facing off is always a treat to watch. Whereas, Glover is an expert at grappling and will look for the takedown to nullify Ankalaev’s threat on the feet.
Regardless of how both fights go UFC 282 will decide the landscape of the UFC’s LHW division. If Ankalaev wins, he should be given a title shot as the prospective matchups waiting for him are enough to make any fan’s mouth start watering.
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