Magomed Ankalaev secured a huge win and a finish at UFC Fight Night 282, stopping Bogdan Guskov in the fifth-round TKO headliner, but a lot of fans out there are still ripping the Dagestani fighter for what they called a ‘boring’ performance. Seriously? Another TKO, and we’re still talking about boredom?
Another Finish, Another Fan Freakout
The fight went down in Abu Dhabi on Saturday, and it was the main event. Ankalaev, who now boasts a sick 21-2-1 MMA record with a 12-2-1 UFC run, took down Bogdan Guskov, who himself is no slouch at 18-3-1 MMA, 4-1-1 UFC. So, a legit win, right? But the chatter online? It’s all about how there wasn’t “much action” and folks are slamming it as boring. Guess who’s catching most of the heat? Yep, Ankalaev, and apparently, this isn’t the first time he’s been in this spot. Fans just can’t seem to get over it.
Chris Weidman Dropped the Truth Bomb
But hold up, because former UFC champion turned sharp analyst Chris Weidman is stepping up, and he’s not having any of it. He thinks the public is being totally unfair to Ankalaev, and Weidman actually liked what he saw! On “Deep Waters”, Weidman laid it out: “I think he’s as good as we always thought he was. I think he’s very good, and so you want to see him go out there and just dominate this guy.” Weidman explained that Ankalaev was just taking his time in the first couple of rounds. Then, by the third, he flipped a switch. “He made a decision and realized that Bogdan isn’t going to throw at him crazy and go to war with him. He tried to push the pace. He tried to look for the finish, and Guskov was running from him.” When Guskov kept dodging, Ankalaev shot for a takedown, got him down super easy, and boom, TKO finish. Weidman’s take? “It wasn’t a super exciting fight, but I don’t think this one was his fault. I think it was Guskov’s fault.” And honestly, that makes a ton of sense. Guskov was backing up most of the fight, and let’s not forget, the guy took the fight on just a week’s notice, stepping in for an injured Khalil Rountree. That’s a tough spot.
Why Weidman Thinks We’re All Missing the Point
Weidman totally doubled down on his defense. “I don’t think it was (Ankalaev’s) fault,” he reiterated. He pointed out that in a five-round fight, you gotta pace yourself early on, feel things out. But despite that, Ankalaev “dominated the fight everywhere.” What’s more, Weidman highlighted something huge: “I think this was the first time we saw him wrestle in a long time. This is what you wanted him to see when he fought Pereira.” He finished a genuinely dangerous opponent, and Weidman believes we need to give him props. He thinks fans are extra hard on Ankalaev because “we realize he’s that good.” It’s wild, isn’t it? A guy goes out there, gets a finish against a dangerous opponent, and we’re still out here calling him boring.
So, what’s next for Ankalaev? Will fans ever truly appreciate a calculated, dominant finish over a wild brawl, especially when he’s as talented as Weidman says he is? That’s the real question facing him now.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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