Bogdan Guskov did not need a long meeting, a big sales pitch, or a full day to decide whether he wanted Magomed Ankalaev at UFC Abu Dhabi.
Guskov was already lined up for a Jan Blachowicz rematch at UFC Belgrade, but Khalil Rountree Jr.’s injury opened the door for a bigger light heavyweight fight one week earlier. Ankalaev is coming off his title loss, and Guskov knows this is a different kind of swing than running back the Blachowicz draw.
Watch Guskov’s fight-week interview below:
Speaking through his translator, Guskov said the call came after a long stretch of waiting for the Blachowicz rematch to finally stick.
“I spoke to my manager Ali. He said, ‘This is an opportunity. I realize this is a huge step for me. It’s a huge step towards the title.’ He said, ‘Why don’t we think about it for about 24 hours?’ I hung up the phone, thought about it for about 15 seconds, and immediately accepted the fight, called him back, and I said, ‘There’s nothing to think about. We’re definitely doing it.'”
That answer explains why Guskov jumped when the UFC reshuffled the card. MiddleEasy previously covered the switch when Ankalaev vs. Guskov became the new UFC Abu Dhabi main event, and this week made the stakes clearer from Guskov’s side.
Guskov sees Ankalaev as the title shortcut
Guskov also fired back at the idea that other fighters were just as ready to take the short-notice slot. He said plenty of names surfaced after his contract was signed, but he framed his own decision as instant.
“As soon as we signed the contract, when it was announced that it was going to be me versus Ankalaev, all of a sudden all of these people came out from the woodwork and said, ‘Well, I also agreed and I also thought about it and I also was offered it.’ But it seems as though some people needed more time or some people needed to fly a plane or climb a mountain or swim over the ocean or whatever things that they had to do. For me, all I needed was 15 seconds.”
Ankalaev is trying to force his way back toward the belt after losing to Alex Pereira, and MiddleEasy covered him saying the Pereira trilogy can wait until after Guskov. Guskov is looking at the same board from the opposite side. Beat the former champion, and suddenly he has a much stronger argument in a division now led by Carlos Ulberg.
Guskov did not treat Ankalaev’s Pereira loss like a blueprint. He called it a bad night and said his own fight has to play out on its own terms.
“His fight is like last fight for me is nothing for him. This is like bad day in his office. I no watch on this fight like something new or this is help or no help for my fight. My fight is my fight.”
The cleaner title-shot pitch came later, when Guskov was asked what a win should mean for him.
“I think when I win this fight, next step is be like title shot.”
Guskov has finished all of his UFC wins, but he said he is not walking into the Ankalaev fight hunting one perfect knockout. After going the distance with Blachowicz, he said he learned not to obsess over the finish before the cage door closes.
“When I fight with Jan I take one mistake. I a lot think about knockout or some finish, you know, and when you think a lot time about finish or knockout this not happen.”
The matchup is still a massive ask. Ankalaev has championship rounds, elite southpaw striking, and a long record of making dangerous light heavyweights look ordinary. Guskov has the power to turn one mistake into a highlight, and he is treating UFC Abu Dhabi like the kind of chance a contender cannot overthink.
