Magomed Ankalaev certainly has the résumé and credentials to be next in line to fight for the UFC light heavyweight title, but the former champ’s performance in the UFC Abu Dhabi main event didn’t seem to impress the MMA community. With new champ Carlos Ulberg out with an injury and expected to return in the first half of 2027, does Ankalaev get the first crack at Ulberg in an attempt to regain the belt?
On an all-new edition of On To the Next One, MMA Fighting’s Mike Heck and Alexander K. Lee discuss what’s next for Ankalaev after his fifth-round stoppage win over Guskov, and if a title fight is coming up in his next fight, or if he has to compete again. Additionally, future matchups are discussed for Ramazan Temirov following his first-round destruction over Steve Erceg in the co-main event, along with fellow main card winners Magomed Zaynukov, Rizvan Kuniev, Abubakar Vagaev, and more.
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Plus, the fellas take your matchmaking suggestions at the end of the show.
Catch the UFC Abu Dhabi edition of On To the Next One below.
Audio-only versions of the podcast can also be found on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, and wherever you find your favorite podcasts.
