Former UFC light heavyweight champion Magomed Ankalaev challenged Khalil Rountree Jr. to a fight inside the Octagon.
Ankalaev has not competed since he lost his belt to Alex Pereira in the main event of UFC 320 last October in Las Vegas, Nevada. The loss to Pereira in their rematch snapped a 14-fight unbeaten streak for Ankalaev in his UFC career, and he has been on the sidelines ever since. However, it looks like Ankalaev is ready to return soon, and he took to X to call out Rountree Jr. to a fight.
“Khalil my man I see you training a lot of wrestling with Khamzat (Chimaev) but in reality you don’t need it, all I would love to do with you is 25 mins of very high level striking master class if you can last this long,” Ankalaev wrote on X.
UFC Light Heavyweight Division in State of Flux
The UFC light heavyweight division is currently in a state of flux. After Pereira knocked out Ankalev to win the belt back, he vacated the belt and moved up in weight to fight Ciryl Gane for the interim UFC heavyweight belt at UFC Freedom 250 in June. With the 205 lbs title once again vacant, the promotion booked Jiri Prochazka vs. Carlos Ulberg for the undisputed UFC light heavyweight championship at UFC 327. Ulberg won the fight by a devastating first-round knockout, but he tore his ACL during the fight, and he figures to be out for the rest of the year while he recovers from his knee surgery.
The UFC may be forced to create an interim light heavyweight belt to keep the division moving along. If that’s the case, then an interim title fight between Ankalaev and Rountree Jr. could be intriguing. After all, Ankalaev is still ranked as the No. 1 contender in the official UFC rankings, while Rountree Jr. is ranked No. 5, though he is coming off a knockout loss to Prochazka at the same UFC 320 card that Ankalaev last fought on. Based on the rankings, it wouldn’t be too far-fetched to see the UFC book this fight, and on paper, it’s a smart callout by Ankalaev.
Magomed Ankalev vs. Khalil Rountree Jr. Would Be a Striker’s Delight
Both Ankalaev and Rountree Jr. are strikers, so this would be a very exciting fight on paper between two fighters who prefer to stand and trade rather than wrestle. The UFC could also potentially book this bout as a main event for a numbered card or a Fight Night card in a locale such as Abu Dhabi, UAE, where Ankalaev has fought many times and where the UFC often goes. Even if no belt is on the line, since both men are coming off losses, it is still a fight that makes a lot of sense based on the rankings and the style matchup.
When Ulberg knocked out Prochazka to win the vacant UFC light heavyweight championship, the hope was that the division would get back on track after the title changed so many hands the last few years. But with Ulberg being out for the foreseeable future due to his knee injury, an interim title may be a necessary creation. If that’s the case, then Ankalaev vs. Rountree Jr. is probably the fight that makes the most sense, and don’t be surprised if the UFC books it, even without a belt on the line.
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