Overview
- Magomed Ankalaev defeated short‑notice replacement Bogdan Guskov by TKO from ground‑and‑pound at 2:41 of Round 5 in the UFC Abu Dhabi main event on Saturday.
- Guskov took the fight after Khalil Rountree Jr. withdrew with an injury, a switch that canceled Guskov’s scheduled rematch with Jan Blachowicz and forced a rapid change to the card.
- After three low‑output rounds the fight changed when Ankalaev used takedowns and top control in Rounds 4 and 5, threatened chokes, and unleashed the ground strikes that prompted referee Marc Goddard to stop the bout.
- The finish drew mixed reaction from fans and media who booed the early rounds and called the main event slow even as analysts noted the victory regained momentum for Ankalaev in the 205‑lb rankings.
- With champion Carlos Ulberg recovering from a torn ACL and saying he saw enough from Ankalaev, the result raises the former champ’s standing for future title sequencing and highlights how short‑notice bookings can reshape fighters’ schedules and opportunities.