Last fight
Win
Pereira vs Ankalaev
Mar. 8, 2025
UFC Spotlight
Stats & Records
11
Wins by Knockout
6
First Round Finishes
Significant Strikes include all strikes at distance, plus power strikes in the clinch and on the ground.
Striking accuracy
- Sig. Strikes Landed
- 686
- Sig. Strikes Attempted
- 1299
A takedown is awarded when a fighter deliberately grapples an opponent to the ground and establishes an advantageous position for an appreciable amount of time.
Takedown Accuracy
- Takedowns Landed
- Takedowns Attempted
- 44
- Sig. Str. Defense is the percentage of significant strikes attempted against a fighter that do not land.
- Takedown defense is the percentage of takedowns attempted against a fighter that do not land.
- Knockdown Avg. is the average number of knockdowns per 15 Minutes window.
Sig. Str. by target
athlete record
Info
Status
Active
Place of Birth
Russia
Fighting style
MMA
Age
32
Height
75.00
Weight
205.00
Octagon Debut
Mar. 17, 2018
Reach
75.00
Leg reach
46.00
- Pro since 2014
- 11 wins by KO
- On 14-fight unbeaten streak (12-0-1, 1 NC)
- On three-fight winning streak
- Six first round finishes
- Owns May 2017 KO win over UFC vet Wagner Prado
UFC 313 (3/8/25) Ankalaev won a five round unanimous decision over Alex Pereira to win the UFC light heavyweight title
UFC 308 (10/30/24) Ankalaev won a three round unanimous decision over Aleksandar Rakić
UFC Fight Night (1/13/24) Ankalaev stopped Johnny Walker via strikes at 2:42 of the second round
UFC 294 (10/21/23) Ankalaev’s bout with Johnny Walker was ruled a no contest at 3:13 of the first round after an illegal knee rendered Walker unable to continue
UFC 282 (12/10/22) Ankalaev fought to a five round draw with Jan Błachowicz in a bout for the vacant UFC light heavyweight title
UFC 277 (7/30/22) Ankalaev stopped Anthony Smith via strikes at 3:09 of the second round
UFC Fight Night (3/12/22) Ankalaev won a five round unanimous decision over Thiago Santos
UFC 267 (10/30/21) Ankalaev won a three round unanimous decision over Volkan Oezdemir
UFC Fight Night (2/27/21) Ankalaev won a three round unanimous decision over Nikita Krylov
UFC 254 (10/24/20) Ankalaev knocked out Ion Cutelaba at 4:19 of the first round
UFC Fight Night (2/29/20) Ankalaev stopped Ion Cutelaba via strikes at :38 of the first round
UFC Fight Night (11/9/19) Ankalaev knocked out Dalcha Lungiambula at :29 of the third round
UFC Fight Night (2/23/19) Ankalaev won a three round unanimous decision over Klidson Abreu
UFC Fight Night (9/15/18) Ankalaev knocked out Marcin Prachnio at 3:09 of the first round
UFC Fight Night (3/17/18) Ankalaev was submitted by Paul Craig via triangle choke at 4:59 of the third round
When and why did you start training for fighting? I started my professional career eight years ago and it seems that it’s working out for me. In Dagestan, every average person is doing martial arts, so I'm just an average Dagestani guy.
What ranks and titles have you held? Two-time World, three-time Russian champion of amateur MMA. Greco-Roman champion of Dagestan. Master of sports in Combat Sambo, International master of sport in amateur MMA
What does it mean for you to fight in the UFC? It's a very good opportunity for me to test myself with the top fighters in the world.
Did you go to college and if so what degree did you earn? I graduated DGPU - Sport Faculty
What was your job before you started fighting? My job is in my GYM.
Specific accomplishments in pro competition? WFCA light heavyweight champion of the world.
Favorite grappling technique: My favorite one is the Suplex, but I don't know how to do it.
Favorite Striking technique: The one that knocks an opponent down.
