UFC Abu Dhabi: Ankalaev Dominates with Fifth-Round TKO and Bonus Recipients Announced

Russia’s Magomed Ankalaev and Uzbekistan’s Bogdan Guskov compete in their men’s light heavyweight fight in the UFC Fight Night event at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on July 25, 2026. (Photo by Fadel SENNA / AFP via Getty Images)

AFP via Getty Images

Magomed Ankalaev solidified his status among the top light heavyweight contenders with a commanding fifth-round TKO victory over Bogdan Guskov in Saturday’s co-main event in Abu Dhabi. Guskov delivered a respectable effort as a late substitute for the injured Khalil Rountree Jr., yet he could not withstand the pressure from the former UFC light heavyweight champion.

Beyond Ankalaev’s triumph, the card delivered two exceptional performances and a memorable heavyweight bout. Here is a breakdown of the bonus winners and decisive victories from UFC Fight Night.

Key Facts at a Glance

• Event: Ankalaev vs. Guskov
• Date and Venue: Saturday, July 25, 2026 · Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
• Broadcast: Paramount+
• Main Event Result: Ankalaev def. Guskov via TKO (strikes) at 2:41 of Round 5
• Referee: Marc Goddard
• Records: Ankalaev 22-2-1 (1 NC) · Guskov 18-4-1
• Bonus Pool Awards: Two Performance of the Night, One Fight of the Night, and Five Finish Bonuses

Main Card Results

Ankalaev managed distance with leg kicks over the first four rounds before transitioning to wrestling, securing the stoppage as referee Marc Goddard intervened midway through the fifth. It marked his first victory since Alex Pereira claimed the championship, ending a 14-fight unbeaten streak that began with his 2018 debut.

Elsewhere on the card, Ramazan Temirov dispatched former flyweight title challenger Steve Erceg in under a round, while Rizvan Kuniev overpowered Tyrell Fortune in a heavyweight clash that earned both fighters a bonus. Official results and scorecards have been posted.

• Light Heavyweight: Magomed Ankalaev def. Bogdan Guskov via TKO (punches) at 2:41 of Round 5
• Flyweight: Ramazan Temirov def. Steve Erceg via KO (punches) at 4:21 of Round 1
• Lightweight: Magomed Zaynukov def. Damian Rzepecki by unanimous decision (30-27 across all scorecards)
• Heavyweight: Rizvan Kuniev def. Tyrell Fortune via TKO (knees) at 1:12 of Round 3
• Welterweight: Abubakar Vagaev def. Saygid Izagakhmaev by unanimous decision (29-28 across all scorecards)
• Heavyweight: Valter Walker def. Thomas Petersen via submission (calf slicer) at 1:32 of Round 1

Preliminary Card Results

Five of the seven preliminary bouts concluded before the final horn, and two of the three debuting fighters secured finishes in their first Octagon appearance.

Muhammad Saidov made his presence known with a head kick that dropped Dustin Jacoby, while Sam Patterson overwhelmed veteran Santiago Ponzinibbio before stopping him in the second round.

• Light Heavyweight: Muhammad Saidov def. Dustin Jacoby via TKO (head kick and punches) at 4:49 of Round 2
• Welterweight: Sam Patterson def. Santiago Ponzinibbio via TKO (strikes) at 3:06 of Round 2
• Lightweight: Axel Sola def. Ismael Bonfim via submission (d’Arce choke) at 4:44 of Round 1
• Bantamweight: Abdul Hussein def. Cody Gibson via submission

Bonus Winners

Valter Walker collected a $100,000 Performance of the Night award for his calf slicer, extending his streak to five consecutive submission victories via leg attacks—a specialty that is becoming increasingly difficult for opponents to navigate.

Kuniev and Fortune shared the Fight of the Night honors in the heavyweight division. It is worth noting that Ankalaev received a $25,000 finish bonus, as the performance and fight bonuses do not stack on top of the standard purse. The complete bonus breakdown is listed below.

• Fight of the Night ($100,000): Rizvan Kuniev and Tyrell Fortune
• Performance of the Night ($100,000): Ramazan Temirov
• Performance of the Night ($100,000): Valter Walker
• Finish Bonus ($25,000 each): Magomed Ankalaev, Muhammad Saidov, Sam Patterson, Axel Sola, and Abdul Hussein

Looking Ahead: The Future of Ankalaev

Carlos Ulberg currently holds the belt, while Alex Pereira is the man who dethroned Ankalaev. It is highly unlikely that Pereira will return to the light heavyweight division despite his lackluster heavyweight debut at UFC Freedom 250.

Ankalaev’s victory over a two-week replacement does not decisively settle the divisional landscape, and he acknowledges that his next assignment must be a ranked bout. As the division’s top contender, it would be logical for him to be the man to welcome Ulberg back to the Octagon should the champion be ready to defend within the next six months. If Ulberg is not prepared, the interim title conversation becomes relevant. A hypothetical interim light heavyweight title fight between Ankalaev and Jiri Prochazka or Paulo Costa would be highly compelling.

Meanwhile, Guskov drops to two career Octagon losses after stepping in on short notice. He had been preparing for a rematch with Jan Blachowicz next weekend in Belgrade before this replacement call. The promotion also announced during the broadcast that Salahdine Parnasse will make his UFC debut against Dan Hooker. Where any of these developments land in the official rankings remains to be seen, but Abu Dhabi already demonstrated how quickly a card can reshape the division.

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