No. 1 ranked light heavyweight contender Magomed Ankalaev looked to secure his spot as the next man in line for a shot at the division’s top prize on Saturday night.
Standing in Ankalaev’s way at UFC 308 in Abu Dhabi was Aleksandar Rakić, a former UFC title challenger determined to snap a two-fight losing skid and re-establish himself as a potential challenger for Alex Pereira‘s 205-pound title.
Round 1
Rakić gets things started with a nice jab and Ankalaev attempts to come right back with a big right hand. Both fighters trade a couple of calf kicks and Rakić fires off a body kick that lands. Ankalaev throws a body kick and Rakić counters with a kick of his own. Rakić goes high with a head kick that gets blocked. Ankalaev lands a straight left and Rakić continues to stay on his backfoot and keep Ankalaev at bay with a variety of kicks.
Ankalaev connects with another right hand as Rakić circles away. Rakić attempts another head kick, but Ankalaev sees it coming and blocks it with ease. Ankalaev throws another left that partially connects. Rakić fires back with a straight right just before the opening round horn sounds.
Round 2
Like the first round, both fighters get things started by trading some calf kicks. Ankalaev is starting to let his hands go a bit more, looking for that big left hand. Rakić lands a nice right hand as he continues to circle the outer part of the Octagon. Rakić lands another right hand as Ankalaev is struggling to chase him down and land anything substantial. Ankalaev rips to the body and gets a reaction out of Rakić. Ankalaev follows it up with a left and then goes high with a head kick, but Rakić narrowly blocks it.
Rakić comes back with a right that connects before doubling up on a calf kick. Ankalaev rushes in with a right hand that Rakić ducks under and uses to clinch up as we approach the final minute in the round. Ankalaev separates and attacks the body again. With time running out, Ankalaev throws a combination but fails to connect and Rakić is content to keep his distance until the round ends.
Round 3
Rakić starts the round with a quick one-two before dancing around and trying to avoid the constant pressure of Ankalaev. 90 seconds into the round, Rakić begins to stand his ground but eats a nasty left hand from Ankalaev near the fence. Not interested in taking another one of those, Rakić shoots in for a single leg and pushes Ankalaev against the cage wall.
Rakić switches to a waistlock, but Ankalaev defends the takedown attempt and reverses the position. Rakić reverses it back into his favor, but neither fighter can take down the other or offer up any type of offense. It’s merely a battle for position as we hit 30 seconds left in the fight. Ankalaev again reverses the position and holds until the final horn sounds.
Official Result: Magomed Ankalaev def. Aleksandar Rakić via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Check Out Highlights From Magomed Ankalaev vs. Aleksandar Rakić at UFC 308:
Magomed Ankalaev def. Aleksandar Rakic via Unanimous Decision (29-28 x3)#MMA #UFC #UFC308 https://t.co/oPnxcbV2yg
— MMA Frenzy (@mma_frenzy) October 26, 2024
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