Flag of Dagestan, Russia
Early Life and Training
Ankalaev first began training in Greco-Roman Wrestling for one year whilst he was a student at the Dagestan State Pedagogical University (DSPU) in Makhachkala, where he graduated in the sport faculty. Ankalaev was compelled at the idea of transitioning to MMA, because of the similarity between MMA and combat sambo.Early MMA Career
In June 2014, at the Russian MMA Championship, Ankalaev ended up beating two of Fedor Emelianenko's students, Valentin Moldavsky in semi-final, and Vadim Nemkov in the finals; thereby qualifying for the WMMAA Championship in Minsk, Belarus, in September of the same year.UFC Career
Ankalaev made his promotional debut against Paul Craig in March 2018 at UFC Fight Night: Werdum vs. Volkov.Debut and Early Fights
Ankalaev dominated the fight for the majority of the bout, winning with clean striking, takedowns and top control; Ankalaev had Craig badly hurt with a body kick in the first round. Rebounding from this loss, Ankalaev was scheduled to fight Marcin Prachnio on September 15, 2018, at UFC Fight Night: Hunt vs.Clinical Striker… Magomed Ankalaev - a Dagestani Knockout Master
Controversial Fight with Ion Cuțelaba
Ankalaev faced Ion Cuțelaba on February 29, 2020, at UFC Fight Night 169. He won via a technical knockout in the first round. The win was not without controversy as referee Kevin MacDonald stopped the bout believing Cuțelaba was out on his feet while still standing, which Cuțelaba immediately protested. Due to the controversial ending, the pair quickly rematched at UFC Fight Night 234 on January 13, 2024. Ankalaev won the fight by knockout in the second round after dropping Walker with a right hand.Fighting Style and Strategy
Ankalaev is known for a disciplined striking style grounded in his background in Greco-Roman wrestling and Combat Sambo. Though his wrestling credentials are strong, Ankalaev rarely rushes to use grappling offensively. Instead, he typically keeps the fight standing, using his takedown defense and balance to keep control of the pace. His approach has been described as calculated, sometimes even conservative, as he prefers to avoid unnecessary exchanges and pick his shots from the outside.
Achievements
- Performance of the Night (Four times)
- UFC Fight Night: Ankalaev vs. UFC Fight Night: Santos
- UFC Fight Night: Rozenstruik
- UFC Fight Night: Benavidez
- UFC Fight Night: Magomedsharipov
- UFC Fight Night: Błachowicz
- UFC Fight Night: Hunt
- UFC Fight Night: Werdum
- Błachowicz vs. Pereira
- Ankalaev vs.
Key UFC Fights and Results
The following table summarizes key fights in Magomed Ankalaev's UFC career:| Date | Event | Opponent | Result | Method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 2018 | UFC Fight Night: Werdum vs. Volkov | Paul Craig | Loss | Submission |
| September 2018 | UFC Fight Night: Hunt vs. | Marcin Prachnio | Win | KO |
| February 2020 | UFC Fight Night 169 | Ion Cuțelaba | Win | TKO (Controversial) |
| January 2024 | UFC Fight Night 234 | Johnny Walker | Win | KO |
| March 2025 | UFC 313 | Alex Pereira | Win | Decision |
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