Former UFC bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw ripped Magomed Ankalaev, whom he called “boring” and a “point fighter.”
Ankalaev defeated Bogdan Guskov in the main event of UFC Abu Dhabi last weekend. However, while he was dominant in the victory, Ankalaev was criticized by fans for having another boring fight, of which he’s had several during his UFC career.
It does take two to tango, however, so it’s not just Ankalaev’s fault that the fight with Guskov was dull to watch. But either way, the fans did not enjoy watching the fight, and neither did Dillashaw, evidently.
TJ Dillashaw Rips Magomed Ankalaev
Speaking on the “JAXXON Podcast,” Dillashaw shared his honest thoughts on Ankalaev’s performance against Guskov — and he didn’t hold back in his criticism.
“Boring! Just so boring. He’s just such a point fighter. You can’t fight him the way Guskov did. You can’t stand in his distance and let him – he’s a one punch, one kick at a time kind of guy,” Dillashaw said (via MMAjunkie.com).
In Dillashaw’s opinion, Guskov did not come into the fight with the correct game plan, which is why he was completely outclassed during the five rounds he fought with Ankalaev.
Instead, Dillashaw believes that more fighters need to follow Alex Pereira’s playbook of coming forward and putting pressure on Ankalaev if they want to defeat him.
“You can see it perfectly when Pereira fights him. The first fight compared to the second fight. The first fight he stayed in that distance and let him pick his shot at a time, get his angle, throw one kick, throw one punch. And in the second fight, he comes forward, puts him on his back leg, and gets him out. So, you can’t let him fight his fight. You got to put the pressure on him, you got to make him fight going backwards. Yes, you’re doing some risk, but it’s a lot better than you just sitting there and losing a fight,” Dillashaw said.
What’s Next for Magomed Ankalaev?
Even though Ankalaev has been criticized for the fight with Guskov, the fact of the matter is that he won the fight, so he will move on and get a big fight his next time out.
With UFC light heavyweight champion Carlos Ulberg out until 2027 recovering from an ACL tear, the rest of the division — Ankalaev included — needs to stay busy and keep active while the champ is on the sidelines.
Ankalaev has already called for a fight against Paulo Costa, who is coming off a knockout win over Azamat Murzakanov at UFC 327 in what was a standout performance by the Brazilian.
Another potential option for Ankalaev is a fight against Jiri Prochazka in what would be a battle of former UFC light heavyweight champions. It would certainly be a fun fight if it were booked, as Prochazka is never in a boring one.
We’ll see what the UFC matchmakers decide to do, but look for Ankalaev to fight again by the end of the year.
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