Skip to main content

Magomed Ankalaev aims to ramp up media presence since 'to be a great fighter is not enough'

Magomed Ankalaev will look to increase his media presence in pursuit of another UFC title shot.

Ankalaev (18-1-1 MMA, 9-1-1 UFC) failed to capture the vacant light heavyweight title when he battled Jan Blachowicz to a split draw in the UFC 282 main event – a fight he thought the judges robbed him of.

Instead of getting to run things back with Blachowicz, both men were snubbed out of the title picture when the promotion opted to book Glover Teixeira and Jamahal Hill for the vacant belt in the UFC 283 headliner on Jan. 21. According to Ankalaev, the UFC has asked him to promote himself better and that’s what he plans on doing.

“Hi everyone, this is my American account. To be a great fighter is not enough to get my title, I have to become a media active too. @UFC is asking for it, and I will do it.”

Ankalaev was visibly upset with the outcome of his fight against Blachowicz and vowed not to fight in Las Vegas again. But his biggest takeaway is to no longer let the judges decide his fate.

“It has been a learning experience. I am not asking for handouts. I am moving forward and I will not leave it up to judges anymore. 2023: I will get the belt🤜

Ankalaev is currently riding a 10-fight unbeaten streak, which includes wins over Anthony Smith, Thiago Santos, Volkan Oezdemir and Nikita Krylov.



from MMA Junkie https://ift.tt/iq9oZHE
via IFTTT
Labels:

Popular posts from this blog

Max Griffin offended by booking against Michael Morales: 'They're sending a guy that they think can beat me'

LAS VEGAS – Max Griffin is not exactly happy with his matchup against Michael Morales . The 37-year-old welterweight veteran is set to take on Michael Morales on the main card of Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 47 at the UFC Apex. This booking made Griffin (19-9 MMA, 7-7 UFC) feel like he’s been set up to be a stepping stone for Morales (14-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC), who’s unbeaten and just 24 years old – and that has Griffin fuming. “I have a thing for these new guys: I get offended,” Griffin told reporters at Wednesday’s UFC on ESPN 47 media day. “So it’s another guy, 14-0, fought Trevin Giles. That was a terrible fight from Trevin Giles. He beat him in the beginning but burned his arms out, getting sloppy, and got knocked out. … He (Morales) ain’t fought nobody. It’s not even about who y’all fought, but I am me. I am him. I’m not the guy you want to fight when you’re that raw, that new.” Although there’s something to be said about Morales’s promise and rise, Griffin is not getting caught in a ba...
Read more

Video: Oli Thompson lands devastating first-round knockout punch on Aleksei Oleinik in Russia

Aleksei Oleinik returned to action for the first time since his UFC exit, but things did not go in his favor. In the main event of REN TV Fight Club at Dynamo Volleyball Arena in Moscow, Russia, Oleinik (60-17-1 MMA) faced fellow UFC veteran Oli Thompson in a heavyweight bout. The result was a violent finish that left Oleinik staring up at the lights. Thompson (21-16 MMA) unleashed a crushing right hand that sent Oleinik crashing to the canvas with 35 seconds remaining in the opening round. Check out video of the finish below (via Twitter ): Oli Thompson destroys Alexey Oleynik with a massive right hand in the first round pic.twitter.com/AdWy25dQxR — caposa (@Grabaka_Hitman) May 26, 2023 Thompson, 43, returned to the win column for the first time since 2020, snapping a four-fight losing skid. His last victory was also a first-round stoppage; a 23-second knockout of Szymon Bajor at Fight Exclusive Night 28 on June 13, 2020. Oleinik, 45, competed in his final UFC bout in Octo...
Read more

Sean Strickland: Israel Adesanya title fight '100 percent should be in the cards' with win over Abus Magomedov

Sean Strickland thinks a fight with Israel Adesanya is imminent if he can get past Abus Magomedov . Strickland (26-5 MMA, 13-5 UFC) meets Magomedov (25-4-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) July 1 at a UFC Fight Night main event at the UFC Apex. Strickland is one of the few top-ranked contenders to never face middleweight champion Adesanya (23-2 MMA, 12-2 UFC), so he sees title implications with a win. “If this fight goes my way, it 100 percent should be in the cards,” Strickland told My MMA News . “I f*cking had a close decision with f*cking – what the f*ck was that guy’s name? Jared Cannonier, you knocked some brain cells out of me. Solid guy. Thought I won on the scorecards, but it is what it is. I truly believe I should be the one fighting Izzy, but I lost fair and square. I’ll pay my tenants. I’ll get some Ws, but yeah, that one needs to happen.” Strickland being matched up with Magomedov came as a surprise, considering Magomedov has only one octagon win. Strickland admits it’s not the fight he...
Read more