Magomed Ankalaev and Aleksandar Rakic, UFC 308 ceremonial weigh-in Credit: Youtube/UFC
If Magomed Ankalaev defeats Aleksandar Rakic, he could very well make a shot at light heavyweight at UFC 308.
Of course, as is often the case in the UFC, nothing is certain, and Alex Pereira just defeated Khalil Rountree Jr. earlier this month. Ankalaev was absent from this match, but if he wins against Rakic, he will definitely remain in the squad.
As for Rakic, his chances of winning gold are slim considering he entered the night having missed two races.
Ankalaev started the fight with a left hand, while Rakic quickly set the tone, going up top with a blocked kick. Rakic’s low kicks and high kicks connected with audible sounds. Ankalaev’s kick was relatively soft. The pair slowly circled the cage, mostly exchanging single strikes. Soon Ankalaev found a home on the left. The right hand worked, but Rakic threatened with another head kick near the middle of the round. With 90 seconds left in round 1, he went for another head kick, but it was blocked again.
In the second round, Ankalaev tried to find a way out for Rakic, landing an upward elbow early on. Rakic stayed on the move, circling around the cage and forcing Ankalaev to try to cut it diagonally. “Rocket” Rakic also used his right hand, and Ankalaev tried to land power shots with strange kicks. As the halfway mark approached for the second goal, Ankalaev tagged him to the body, but Aleksandar Rakic appeared to feel some discomfort. He went on defense, which resulted in Ankalaev getting a little more heated. It was a much better round for Magomed Ankalaev, who took the first frame by a close margin.
The third one took place in one of two scenarios. Either Ankalaev had a two-round lead (his corner maintained that belief) or the fight was tied. Rakic started kicking early and settled into circling on the outside again. But Ankalaev caught him within just a minute and landed a solid left hand. Rakic survived and went for the leg, causing Ankalaev to jump. In fact, he immediately jumped back to the fence, but was unable to complete the single-leg takedown. Anakulaev reversed, but Rakic reversed again and the match turned into a fierce grapple. They exchanged a few knees in the clinch, but there was no finish, and Ankalaev won by decision.
After the match, Magomed Ankalaev complained that Rakic’s strange batting style made it difficult for him to interact. He then asked for a title shot. “I think I’ve done everything to deserve another title. I’d like to talk to Alex. [Pereira, light heavyweight champ]I want to tell him to stop running away. we have to fight. ”
Official result: Magomed Ankalaev def. Aleksandar Rakić wins by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
