5 UFC light heavyweights who could beat Magomed Ankalaev
The surging Magomed Ankalaev is on an 8 fight win streak, most recently beating former title challenger Thiago Santos by decision. He's currently being looked at as one of the next in line to get a shot at the light heavyweight title.
With Jon Jones' iron-grip on the title gone, there are a lot of athletes that could possibly top the division in 2022. While the Russian star is on this list, he hasn't had that air of invincibility that some fighters bring into title contention with them.
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From losing his debut via last-second submission to most recently having some trouble with Thiago Santos, the 29-year-old is impressive but far from unbeatable. With his next fight most likely being upward in the light heavyweight rankings, the competition is only getting tougher and he may not be quite ready to take on these opponents. Here are 5 UFC light heavyweights who could beat Magomed Ankalaev.
#5. Paul Craig
While their first encounter saw Magomed Ankalaev win most of the fight, Paul Craig grabbed a last-second victory by triangle choke, which remains the lone loss on Ankalaev's record.
The submission wasn't fortuitous, as it's Craig's signature move. He's pulled off a come-from-behind triangle multiple times in his career. This bout took place in 2018, and both fighters have grown so much since then.
A lá Anderson Silva! Há exatos quatro anos, Paul Craig virava o jogo no ÚLTIMO segundo de luta e finalizava Magomed Ankalaev. 🥋🔥
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The 29-year-old from Russia has complied an impressive 8 fight win streak since and Craig is riding an exciting 5-0-1 in his last six bouts. Both fighters are on absolute tears at the moment,. While Ankalaev has been fighting the bigger names, Craig has been scoring the more emphatic victories.
Ankalaev is a fantastic fighter, but he's probably been a little complacent in recent performances. Craig has a win over Ankalaev and what's even more impressive is that he seems to have really found his footing in his career. He's taken the chances and put himself in uncomfortable positions to better himself, whereas Ankalaev has at times been okay with taking the easy route to victory.
Yes, the Russian keeps winning, but Craig is rapidly catching up to becoming a well-rounded fighter on top of the very weapon that is his grappling. With Craig defeating Nikita Krylov and most of the top 5 being booked, this is a fight that could possibly be next for Ankalaev, and it's a scary match for him.