The main fights of the UFC Fight Night tournament on July 25: overview and form of fighters
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- The main fights of the UFC Fight Night tournament on July 25: overview and form of fighters
The light heavyweight bout will take place in the main event of UFC Fight Night on July 25 at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi (UAE). Former UFC champion Magomed Ankalaev will face Bogdan Guskov, who took the fight less than two weeks before the tournament, replacing the injured Khalil Rowntree. An overview of the fights, the forecast and the form of the fighters are in the Izvestia material.
Main fight (light heavyweight): Magomed Ankalaev (21-2-1) vs Bogdan Guskov (18-3-1)
Magomed Ankalaev is a former UFC light heavyweight champion and the division's number one ranking. The Russian fighter combines technical stance work, distance control and a strong wrestling base. In March 2025, he defeated Alex Pereira by decision of the judges and won the belt, but then lost to the Brazilian in a rematch. Now Ankalaev needs to get back on a winning streak and get back into the title race.
Bogdan Guskov is ranked 10th in the light heavyweight division. The representative of Uzbekistan has a pronounced striking power: he won all 18 victories in his professional career ahead of schedule, and completed 13 fights in the first round. Guskov agreed to replace Rountree on short notice, so preparing for a five-round bout could be an additional challenge for him.
A short notice bout is a bout that an athlete agrees to shortly before the date of the tournament, usually replacing the eliminated participant. In this case, the fighter has little time left for a full-fledged training camp and preparation for a specific opponent.
Magomed Ankalaev looks like the favorite. Guskov's main chance remains an accurate hit in the opening rounds.
Bout Title (light heavyweight): Steve Erceg (14-4) – Ramazan Temirov (19-3)
Steve Erceg is a former contender for the UFC belt. The Australian is distinguished by good technique, precise handwork and the ability to fight both in the stand and in the stalls. His experience of meeting with the leading representatives of the division can be an important advantage.
Ramazan Temirov is a representative of Uzbekistan, who won the first two fights in the UFC. He has high speed, explosive attack and powerful punch, but is inferior to Erceg in height and arm span.
The fight should be competitive beforehand, especially in the first rounds. Erceg looks like a small favorite due to his experience, versatility and advantage in anthropometry.
Lightweight: Magomed Zainukov (8-0) – Damian Rzepecki (10-0)
Magomed Zainukov is an undefeated Russian prospect and Muay Thai specialist. He got a contract with the UFC after winning the Dana White Challenger Series. Zainukov completed five of his eight professional fights ahead of schedule.
Damian Rzepecki is a former lightweight champion of the Polish FEN organization. He won all 10 fights, nine of which he finished ahead of schedule: four by knockout, five by receptions. For both athletes, the meeting in Abu Dhabi will be their UFC debut.
The confrontation looks equal, since both athletes have not lost in their professional careers yet. Zainukov is a slight favorite due to his more sophisticated percussion technique and ability to work at a high pace.
The tournament will be held on July 25. The preliminary card will start at approximately 17:00 Moscow time, the main one at 19:00 Moscow time. The venue is Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
