Magomed Ankalaev left no doubts in his anticipated rematch with Johnny Walker, knocking out his rival in devastating fashion Saturday night in the first UFC main event of 2024.
Ankalaev has been fighting at a championship level for a couple of years at this point yet the title has eluded the talented Russian during his current 12-fight unbeaten streak. The 31-year-old was steadfast in calling for the next title shot at 205 pounds in his post-fight interview.
“I am ready to fight for the title,” Ankalaev said through a translator after busting up Walker’s nose via a second-round technical knockout. “It’s been a long time. I am worth it. Give me that fight for the title now.”
The light-heavyweight division is currently ruled by Alex Pereira who won the vacant title in November. Former champ Jamahal Hill was cage-side taking in the action at the UFC Apex in Nevada on Saturday. Hill has been told he will fight for the title in his first fight back but depending on Hill’s timeline for fully recovering from his ruptured Achilles, a Pereira vs. Ankalaev championship matchup would certainly not lack intrigue.
Ankalaev is among the most well-rounded fighters at 205 pounds. He has walloping power, a refined and dominant wrestling game and as we saw in the opening round Saturday can withstand some heavy strikes.
Walker was aggressive and creative early in the fight like he usually is, throwing spinning back fists, axe kicks and using some capoeira among other flashy techniques. Ankalaev, meanwhile, patiently pressed forward from his southpaw stance.
Ankalaev used a kick-heavy attack for much of the opening five minutes and inadvertently hit Walker directly in the cup late in the first round. Walker was visibly upset and stared down Ankalaev immediately after it happened. Considering how their first bout ended, the last thing this bout needed was to end in more controversy.
Once the second round began, Ankalaev found his rhythm and connected on a flush right hook that sent Walker flying into the cage. One additional right-hand follow-up shot was all he needed to get back in the win column. Ankalaev walked off with his hand raised as blood poured from Walker’s nostrils.
The night’s co-main event saw longtime fan favourite Jim Miller continue his late-career surge by submitting Gabriel Benitez with a third-round rear-naked choke.
Miller has more fights and wins than any other fighter in UFC history and he lobbied for a spot on the upcoming UFC 300 card following the win. Miller competed at both the historic UFC 100 in 2009 and UFC 200 in 2016 and it would be another feather in the cap of the popular and respected 40-year-old.
A flyweight rematch between Manel Kape and Matheus Nicolau originally slated as the co-main event was removed from the card the day before the event after Kape missed weight by 3.5 pounds.
Brazil’s Brunno Ferreira bounced back from his first career loss and maintained his 100 per cent finishing rate with a huge first-round knockout of fellow powerhouse middleweight Phil Hawes. Before landing the highlight finish, Ferreira displayed his judo background on a pair of nifty trips that sent Hawes to the mat. The heavy-handed Ferreira set up the finishing sequence with a knee and clubbing left hands.
Hawes began neglecting his solid wrestling base in recent years and instead focused on improving his striking and landing knockout blows. His live-by-the-sword, die-by-the-sword strategy has resulted in him losing four of his past five fights by opening-round KO.
Mario Bautista earned the biggest victory of his career and should crack the top 15 in the bantamweight division thanks to a gruelling three-round unanimous decision over Ricky Simon. Bautista landed 112 significant strikes compared to 45 for Simon. He has now won six in a row and suggested to Michael Bisping afterwards that a bout with perennial top-10 contender Rob Font would be something he’s interested in at some point later this year.
Andrei Arlovski made his UFC debut all the way back in 2000 and although the 44-year-old is in the 10th year of his second UFC tenure, the heavyweight legend has now lost three in a row after dropping a unanimous decision to 32-year-old Waldo Cortes-Acosta to kick off the main card. Cortes-Acosta throws his overhand rights like an MLB reliever, however he was missing the strike zone for much of the bout. Overall, the younger fighter was still the more effective striker and improved to 11-1 as a pro.
The action-packed preliminary card saw four of six bouts finished before the end of the second round.
Marcus McGhee improved to 3-0 under the UFC banner and did so with an exclamation mark, defeating fellow bantamweight Gaston Bolanos by second-round technical knockout. Bolanos showed dogged resilience and durability for as long as possible but was outlanded 65-28 in significant strikes and eventually overwhelmed by McGhee.
The 33-year-old southpaw rocked Bolanos with a right hook that sent him briefly to the canvas. As Bolanos was recovering and circling away, McGhee cut off the Octagon with a spinning kick and landed a flush left hand that resulted in the referee calling a stop to the bout.
In other bantamweight action, Farid Basharat improved to 12-0, sweeping the scorecards against Taylor Lapilus. Basharat, whose brother Javid is also an undefeated UFC 135-pounder, has gone the distance in two of his three UFC appearances.
Welterweights Matthew Semelsberger and Preston Parsons set a fierce pace early on and maintained it the full three rounds with Parsons earning a unanimous judges decision. Semelsberger, who holds two of the 10-fastest knockouts in welterweight history, has lost three of four and gone the distance in five of his past six.
Jean Silva extended his winning streak to nine by lighting up Westin Wilson early and often. The Brazilian was victorious in his UFC debut, rocking Wilson multiple times before the ref halted the action.
Australia’s Tom Nolan didn’t have the same success in his UFC debut, getting knocked out by Nikolas Motta in a mere 63 seconds.
Joshua Van entered the history books as the first fighter to record a win inside the Octagon in 2024 as the promising flyweight prospect improved to 10-1 with a TKO late in the second round in the opening bout of the evening. Van landed 154 of his 222 total strike attempts and is a name to keep an eye on at 125 pounds.
Full results from UFC Fight Night: Ankalaev vs. Walker 2 below…
MAIN CARD
— Magomed Ankalaev def. Johnny Walker by TKO at 2:42 of Round 2
— Jim Miller def. Gabriel Benítez by SUB (rear-naked choke) at 3:25 of Round 3
— Mario Bautista def. Ricky Simon by UD (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
— Brunno Ferreira def. Phil Hawes by KO at 4:55 of Round 1
— Waldo Cortes-Acosta def. Andrei Arlovski by UD (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
PRELIMINARY CARD
— Preston Parsons def. Matthew Semelsberger by UD (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
— Marcus McGhee def. Gaston Bolanos by TKO at 3:29 of Round 2
— Farid Basharat def. Taylor Lapilus by UD (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
— Jean Silva def. Westin Wilson by at 4:12 of Round 1
— Nikolas Motta def. Tom Nolan by KO at 1:03 of Round 1
— Joshua Van def. Felipe Bunes by TKO at 4:31 of Round 2
