Daniel Cormier backs Ankalaev for another title shot

Cormier believes Ankalaev's finish may have secured him another UFC light heavyweight title opportunity against Carlos Ulberg.

Former MMA pro and current UFC commentator Daniel Cormier believes that @Magomed Ankalaev may have earned himself another title shot after defeating Bogdan Guskov last night.

Magomed Ankalaev controlled the fight from the start and ultimately secured the victory via TKO in the fifth round. This marked a very strong comeback for him following his knockout loss to Alex Pereira last October. Since that loss, the division has changed significantly. Alex Pereira moved up to heavyweight, meaning a major contender has left the division for now. In addition, Carlos Ulberg claimed the vacant title but suffered a serious knee injury in the process and is not expected to be able to fight again until next year.

However, Daniel Cormier seems certain that Magomed Ankalaev’s victory may have been decisive in securing him another shot at the title. On his YouTube channel, he said:

“Ankalaev getting that finish might have legitimately gotten him another opportunity to fight for the UFC championship against the new champion Carlos Ulberg when he comes back"

However, Daniel wonders when that will actually happen. He questions how realistic it is for Carlos Ulberg to fight again so soon after a knee injury, and whether it will really be in early 2027. That said, he believes the odds are very good thanks to his dominant victory.

Carlos Ulberg also seems ready to fight Magomed Ankalaev. After Saturday’s fight, he wrote:

“I saw what I NEEDED to see. I'll leave it at that”

With this, the champion makes it relatively clear that he would, in principle, be willing to face Magomed Ankalaev. The only question that remains is whether Magomed Ankalaev will actually get another chance, and if so, when that will be. These questions will surely be answered soon, though.

I think Magomed Ankalaev has definitely proven once again that he can truly be a title contender. Against Bogdan Guskov, he made a strong case for why he should be the one to get this opportunity. I hope Carlos Ulberg returns as soon as possible so we can see more. What do you think? Has Magomed Ankalaev earned another chance?