UFC Abu Dhabi Results: Magomed Ankalaev Stops Bogdan Guskov as Ramazan Temirov Impresses

Magomed Ankalaev strengthened his case for another shot at UFC light heavyweight gold with a dominant fifth-round stoppage victory over Bogdan Guskov in the main event of UFC Abu Dhabi.

Originally scheduled to face Khalil Rountree before injury forced a late change, Ankalaev controlled proceedings throughout before securing the finish in the fifth round to remind the division why he remains one of its leading contenders.

Elsewhere, Ramazan Temirov produced one of the standout performances of the evening, stopping former title challenger Steve Erceg in the opening round, while Rizvan Kuniev, Magomed Zaynukov and Abubakar Vagaev all picked up impressive victories on the main card.

Magomed Ankalaev bounced back from the disappointment of losing the UFC light heavyweight title with a dominant fifth-round TKO victory over Bogdan Guskov in the main event.

Originally scheduled to face Khalil Rountree Jr., Ankalaev instead took on late replacement Guskov after Rountree withdrew through injury earlier this month. Guskov had been preparing to face former champion Jan Blachowicz at UFC Belgrade before accepting the opportunity on short notice.

Despite the change in opponent, Ankalaev was in control throughout. The former champion dictated the striking exchanges across the opening rounds before taking the fight to the mat in the championship rounds. After threatening with a rear-naked choke in the fourth, Ankalaev returned to top position in the fifth and forced the referee to stop the contest with sustained ground-and-pound at 2:41 of the final round.

The victory ends Ankalaev's first losing streak since joining the UFC and strengthens his position near the top of the light heavyweight division. With champion Carlos Ulberg currently sidelined through injury, the Dagestani has once again put himself firmly in the conversation for another shot at UFC gold.

For Guskov, the defeat brings an end to a five-fight winning streak and marks his first loss since September 2023.

Ramazan Temirov delivered arguably the performance of the night, stopping Steve Erceg just over four minutes into the opening round.

The unbeaten flyweight's speed and power immediately caused problems for Erceg, with two knockdowns leading to the eventual stoppage.

For Temirov, it represents the biggest victory of his UFC career and could propel him into the flyweight rankings.

Rizvan Kuniev picked up an impressive third-round TKO victory over Tyrell Fortune after wearing down the heavyweight with sustained pressure before finishing the contest in the final round.

Magomed Zaynukov also impressed, comfortably defeating Damian Rzepecki by unanimous decision after controlling the striking exchanges across all three rounds.

Abubakar Vagaev rounded off the featured card with a unanimous decision victory over Saygid Izagakhmaev, using his wrestling and control to edge a competitive contest.

Main Card
Magomed Ankalaev def. Bogdan Guskov via TKO (strikes), Round 5, 2:41
Ramazan Temirov def. Steve Erceg via TKO (strikes), Round 1, 4:21
Magomed Zaynukov def. Damian Rzepecki via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Rizvan Kuniev def. Tyrell Fortune via TKO (strikes), Round 3, 1:12
Abubakar Vagaev def. Saygid Izagakhmaev via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Preliminary Card
Valter Walker def. Thomas Petersen via submission (calf slicer), Round 1, 1:32
Muhammad Saidov def. Dustin Jacoby via TKO (strikes), Round 2, 4:49
Sam Patterson def. Santiago Ponzinibbio via TKO (strikes), Round 2, 3:06
Axel Sola def. Ismael Bonfim via submission (D’Arce choke), Round 1, 4:44
Magomed Tuchalov def. Brendson Ribeiro via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Nurullo Aliev def. Mike Davis via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Abdul Hussein def. Cody Gibson via submission (head-and-arm choke), Round 3, 3:07

Ankalaev's victory keeps him firmly in the light heavyweight title picture and puts him back in contention for another championship opportunity.

Temirov's stoppage of Steve Erceg is likely to have the biggest impact on the flyweight rankings, while Kuniev, Zaynukov and Vagaev all continued building momentum with important victories.

With several contenders strengthening their positions, UFC Fight Night Abu Dhabi could have lasting implications across multiple divisions as the promotion heads into the final stretch of the year.