Magomed Ankalaev is a member of Fight Club Akhmat whose fighters have historically done great in Abu Dhabi. He didn’t win his last fight there – it ended in a somewhat controversial no-contest after Johnny Walker was deemed unable to continue due to an illegal strike by Ankalaev.
In their rematch, Ankalaev KO-ed him and is now looking to do the same to Aleksandar Rakic. Will his plan come true? Let’s find out!
Magomed Ankalaev vs. Aleksandar Rakic Odds
| Moneyline | Odds |
|---|---|
| Magomed Ankalaev | -410 |
| Aleksandar Rakic | +300 |
475 players claimed the offer this month
When, Where, and How to Watch?
- Place: Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- Date: Saturday, October 26, 2024
- Time: 2:00 p.m. ET
- How to Watch: PPV
Magomed Ankalaev’s Odds of -410 Make Him a Strong Favorite
Magomed Ankalaev (18-1-1-1) is another member of Fight Club Akhmat who’ll be fighting at UFC 308 in Abu Dhabi, along with Khamzat Chimaev and Said Nurmagomedov.
Named after the father of Vladimir Putin’s right hand Ramzan Khadirov, the MMA club has some incredible fighters on the roster who are somewhat notorious for picking their fights carefully.
These guys prefer fighting in the Middle East or Eastern Europe, where the crowd is usually on their side. Since joining the UFC in 2018, Ankalaev has fought three times in Abu Dhabi, twice in Moscow, and once in Prague. He won each of those six fights, with 50% of those wins happening by KO/TKO.
His most recent fight took place in Vegas, and we saw him beat Johnny Walker by KO in the second round. It was one of Ankalaev’s best performances in the UFC, which demonstrated how lethal he is with his striking.
Reasons Why Bookmakers See Aleksandar Rakic as a +300 Underdog
Aleksandar Rakic (14-4) suffered a horrific shoulder injury in the fight with Jan Blachowicz in 2022, which is why he spent almost two years outside the Octagon. He made his return six months ago, but it wasn’t a successful comeback – Jiri Prochazka beat him by a TKO in the second round.
It was his first “proper” loss as he lost to Blachowicz by a TKO due to injury. Before that, he lost to Volkan Oezdemir by a split decision. And his first career loss happened on his professional debut back in 2011.
All this explains why Rakic is still flying high in the UFC Light Heavyweight rankings. He’s currently 5th, but a win over the 2nd-placed Ankalaev could earn him a title shot.
Magomed Ankalaev vs. Aleksandar Rakic Prediction
In the previous UFC PPV event held in Abu Dhabi (UFC 294 in October 2023), two of the three of the Fight Club Akhmat who fought that evening won their fights relatively easily.
The one who didn’t win was Ankalaev, whose fight with Johnny Walker ended abruptly when the cage-side doctor decided the Brazilian wasn’t able to fight due to an illegal grounded knee by Magomedov. Before that, however, Ankalaev was winning the fight.
A year later, he’s fighting in Abu Dhabi again, and this time, we think he’s gonna get himself a win.
Pick: Magomed Ankalaev
