Light Heavyweight
Magomed Ankalaev
21-2-1 (1 NC) UFC 13-2-1 (1 NC)
Takedown-Proof
Hard To Take Down
6'3"Height
75"Reach
OrthodoxStance
34Age
7KO wins
0Sub wins
53.8%Finish rate
12:27Avg fight
Skill profile
striking
solid
1 read
grappling
good
1 read
wrestling
not yet read
cardio
not yet read
durability
not yet read
Takedown-Proof
21 of 24 takedowns stuffed
Hard To Take Down
elite td defense — rates 97 of 100 among UFC veterans
Career rates — the raw numbers behind the chart
Sig. strikes landed / min3.52
Sig. strikes absorbed / min2.49
Striking accuracy52.4%
Striking defense55.3%
Knockdowns / 15 min0.5
Takedowns / 15 min0.85
Takedown accuracy24.5%
Takedown defense87.5%
Sub attempts / 15 min0.21
Control time28.4%
Record vs .500+ opponents10-1
Insider info
Magomed Ankalaev favored over Bogdan Guskov emphatic UFC Fight Night: Ankalaev vs Guskov · July 19, 2026
strikingsolid
grapplinggood
Picked with no real hedge -- the analyst says the opponent simply doesn't bring enough to compete and that this is too big a step up in competition for him on short notice.
A solid, complete striker with very fast kicks and good boxing combinations, playing it safe on the feet and taking no unnecessary risks, willing to win a fight on a couple of light shots if that's what's available. He can be too patient at times, giving away rounds by doing just enough. Good grappling with good takedown defense, good top control, and a genuinely solid cage push, shown clearly in his first fight with Pereira.
Strengthfast kicks and good boxing combinations
Strengthplays it safe on the feet, takes minimal risk
Strengthgood takedown defense, top control, and a really solid cage push
Weaknesscan be too passive, willing to win narrowly rather than dominantly
Striking trend
Fight history
W Bogdan Guskov 18-3-1 walk-in KO/TKO · R5 2:41 — UFC Fight Night: Ankalaev vs. Guskov · July 25, 2026
54/113Sig. strikes
39/63Absorbed
2/4Takedowns
8:26Control
0Knockdowns
3Sub attempts
L Alex Pereira 12-3 walk-in TITLE KO/TKO · R1 1:20 — UFC 320: Ankalaev vs. Pereira 2 · October 4, 2025
4/9Sig. strikes
28/45Absorbed
0/1Takedowns
0:00Control
0Knockdowns
0Sub attempts
W Alex Pereira 12-2 walk-in TITLE Decision - Unanimous · R5 5:00 — UFC 313: Pereira vs. Ankalaev · March 8, 2025
94/180Sig. strikes
76/137Absorbed
0/12Takedowns
5:42Control
0Knockdowns
0Sub attempts
W Aleksandar Rakic 14-4 walk-in Decision - Unanimous · R3 5:00 — UFC 308: Topuria vs. Holloway · October 26, 2024
55/114Sig. strikes
53/117Absorbed
0/0Takedowns
1:31Control
0Knockdowns
0Sub attempts
W Johnny Walker 21-7 walk-in KO/TKO · R2 2:42 — UFC Fight Night: Ankalaev vs. Walker 2 · January 13, 2024
39/58Sig. strikes
24/71Absorbed
0/0Takedowns
0:05Control
1Knockdowns
0Sub attempts
NC Johnny Walker 21-7 walk-in Could Not Continue · R1 3:13 — UFC 294: Makhachev vs. Volkanovski 2 · October 21, 2023
13/19Sig. strikes
14/27Absorbed
1/1Takedowns
1:06Control
0Knockdowns
0Sub attempts
D Jan Blachowicz 24-9 walk-in TITLE Decision - Split · R5 5:00 — UFC 282: Blachowicz vs. Ankalaev · December 10, 2022
78/184Sig. strikes
55/117Absorbed
2/10Takedowns
11:20Control
0Knockdowns
0Sub attempts
W Anthony Smith 36-16 walk-in KO/TKO · R2 3:09 — UFC 277: Pena vs. Nunes 2 · July 30, 2022
46/79Sig. strikes
18/36Absorbed
0/0Takedowns
2:26Control
0Knockdowns
0Sub attempts
W Thiago Santos 22-9 walk-in Decision - Unanimous · R5 5:00 — UFC Fight Night: Santos vs. Ankalaev · March 12, 2022
78/155Sig. strikes
60/138Absorbed
1/2Takedowns
3:35Control
0Knockdowns
0Sub attempts
W Volkan Oezdemir 15-5 walk-in Decision - Unanimous · R3 5:00 — UFC 267: Blachowicz vs. Teixeira · October 30, 2021
66/108Sig. strikes
48/102Absorbed
1/4Takedowns
1:45Control
1Knockdowns
0Sub attempts
W Nikita Krylov 27-7 walk-in Decision - Unanimous · R3 5:00 — UFC Fight Night: Rozenstruik vs. Gane · February 27, 2021
43/92Sig. strikes
47/120Absorbed
3/9Takedowns
5:59Control
0Knockdowns
0Sub attempts
W Ion Cutelaba 15-5 walk-in KO/TKO · R1 4:19 — UFC 254: Khabib vs. Gaethje · October 24, 2020
21/41Sig. strikes
11/36Absorbed
0/0Takedowns
0:05Control
2Knockdowns
0Sub attempts
W Ion Cutelaba 15-4 walk-in KO/TKO · R1 0:38 — UFC Fight Night: Benavidez vs. Figueiredo · February 29, 2020
8/12Sig. strikes
5/11Absorbed
0/0Takedowns
0:00Control
0Knockdowns
0Sub attempts
W Dalcha Lungiambula 10-1 walk-in KO/TKO · R3 0:29 — UFC Fight Night: Zabit vs. Kattar · November 9, 2019
44/67Sig. strikes
6/26Absorbed
1/3Takedowns
5:34Control
1Knockdowns
0Sub attempts
W Klidson Abreu 14-2 walk-in Decision - Unanimous · R3 5:00 — UFC Fight Night: Blachowicz vs. Santos · February 23, 2019
30/67Sig. strikes
23/62Absorbed
1/3Takedowns
5:48Control
1Knockdowns
0Sub attempts
W Marcin Prachnio 13-3 walk-in KO/TKO · R1 3:09 — UFC Fight Night: Hunt vs. Oleinik · September 15, 2018
12/27Sig. strikes
3/22Absorbed
0/0Takedowns
0:02Control
1Knockdowns
0Sub attempts
L Paul Craig 9-2 walk-in Submission · R3 4:59 — UFC Fight Night: Werdum vs. Volkov · March 17, 2018
59/96Sig. strikes
18/50Absorbed
0/0Takedowns
6:43Control
0Knockdowns
0Sub attempts
Walk-in records count UFC bouts in this database. For the pre-UFC career, see the record breakdown below or the Tapology button up top.
Record breakdown
Wins by method
KO/TKO
10
Submission
1
Decision
10
Other
0
Losses by method
KO/TKO
1
Submission
1
Decision
0
Other
0
Draws: 1 · No contests: 1
Fights by organization
UFC
17
WFCA
5
Oplot Challenge
2
Tesla FC
1
Full career — 25 fights, every organization
| Opponent | Method | Event | Org | Rd | Time | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W | Bogdan Guskov | TKO (punches) | UFC Fight Night: Ankalaev vs. Guskov
July 25, 2026 |
UFC | 5 | 2:41 |
| L | Alex Pereira | TKO (punches and elbows) | UFC 320
October 4, 2025 |
UFC | 1 | 1:20 |
| W | Alex Pereira | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 313
March 8, 2025 |
UFC | 5 | 5:00 |
| W | Aleksandar Rakić | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 308
October 26, 2024 |
UFC | 3 | 5:00 |
| W | Johnny Walker | KO (punches) | UFC Fight Night: Ankalaev vs. Walker 2
January 13, 2024 |
UFC | 2 | 2:42 |
| NC | Johnny Walker | NC (illegal knee) | UFC 294
October 21, 2023 |
UFC | 1 | 3:13 |
| D | Jan Błachowicz | Draw (split) | UFC 282
December 10, 2022 |
UFC | 5 | 5:00 |
| W | Anthony Smith | TKO (punches) | UFC 277
July 30, 2022 |
UFC | 2 | 3:09 |
| W | Thiago Santos | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Santos vs. Ankalaev
March 12, 2022 |
UFC | 5 | 5:00 |
| W | Volkan Oezdemir | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 267
October 30, 2021 |
UFC | 3 | 5:00 |
| W | Nikita Krylov | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Rozenstruik vs. Gane
February 27, 2021 |
UFC | 3 | 5:00 |
| W | Ion Cuțelaba | KO (punches) | UFC 254
October 24, 2020 |
UFC | 1 | 4:19 |
| W | Ion Cuțelaba | TKO (head kicks and punches) | UFC Fight Night: Benavidez vs. Figueiredo
February 29, 2020 |
UFC | 1 | 0:38 |
| W | Dalcha Lungiambula | KO (front kick and punch) | UFC Fight Night: Magomedsharipov vs. Kattar
November 9, 2019 |
UFC | 3 | 0:29 |
| W | Klidson Abreu | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Błachowicz vs. Santos
February 23, 2019 |
UFC | 3 | 5:00 |
| W | Marcin Prachnio | TKO (head kick and punches) | UFC Fight Night: Hunt vs. Oleinik
September 15, 2018 |
UFC | 1 | 3:09 |
| L | Paul Craig | Submission (triangle choke) | UFC Fight Night: Werdum vs. Volkov
March 17, 2018 |
UFC | 3 | 4:59 |
| W | Celso Ricardo da Silva | KO (punches) | WFCA 43
October 4, 2017 |
WFCA | 1 | 1:11 |
| W | Wagner Prado | KO (punches) | WFCA 38
June 21, 2017 |
WFCA | 1 | 3:33 |
| W | Maxim Grishin | TKO (punches) | WFCA 30
October 4, 2016 |
WFCA | 4 | 1:13 |
| W | Artur Astakhov | Decision (unanimous) | WFCA 23
June 11, 2016 |
WFCA | 3 | 5:00 |
| W | Lloyd Marshbanks | TKO (submission to punches) | WFCA 18
April 9, 2016 |
WFCA | 1 | 0:15 |
| W | Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov | Decision (unanimous) | Oplot Challenge 103
October 18, 2014 |
Oplot Challenge | 3 | 5:00 |
| W | Denić Strahinja | Decision (unanimous) | Tesla FC 4
June 14, 2014 |
Tesla FC | 3 | 5:00 |
| W | Vasily Babich | Decision (majority) | Oplot Challenge 96
January 18, 2014 |
Oplot Challenge | 3 | 5:00 |
Career history from the fighter's Wikipedia record table (Magomed Ankalaev) — results only, no strike stats; UFC bouts are marked and carry full stats in the fight history above.
Division context
Hero photo of Magomed Ankalaev by MMAnytt · CC BY 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons