Ex-light heavyweight champ Ankalaev set to clash with No. 9 Guskov

Former UFC light heavyweight champion Magomed Ankalaev returns to the octagon after a nine-month absence.

Ankalaev, the No. 1-ranked light heavyweight contender, will face No. 9 Bogdan Guskov (33, Uzbekistan) in the main event of UFC Fight Night: Ankalaev vs. Guskov on Sunday (Korean Standard Time) at Etihad Arena on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

The Russian fighter (20-2-1, 1 NC) is on a mission to reclaim the title he lost last October at UFC 320, when Alex Pereira stopped him by TKO with punches and elbows. "Defeat for me was an experience for growth, and I came back stronger," Ankalaev said, reflecting on the setback. He added that losing the title was his own mistake and that he is now fully motivated to win it back. "I believe 100 percent I will reclaim the title," he said.

Ankalaev's original opponent, Khalil Rountree Jr., withdrew with an injury two weeks before the event, and Guskov stepped in as a replacement. Guskov (18-3-1) had been scheduled to face Jan Blachowicz in a rematch at next week's event in Belgrade, Serbia, but accepted the opportunity to take on the top-ranked contender. "The fight with Ankalaev is a huge test for me," he said. "If I win this fight, I become the No. 1 contender for the title. This is my chance to change my life."

Ankalaev is a former combat sambo champion whose game blends striking and grappling. He won gold in the light heavyweight division at the World Combat Sambo Championships in both 2015 and 2016, and has recorded 10 (T)KO victories throughout his career. Guskov, a Russian-Uzbek fighter nicknamed "Tsarevich" (Son of the Tsar), trained in boxing and kickboxing from an early age. He boasts a 100 percent finish rate, with 15 of his 18 wins coming by (T)KO.

Ankalaev is not impressed by Guskov's finish record, noting that it has yet to be fully tested in the UFC. "I'm not worried about it," he said, shrugging off the 100 percent finish rate. "He only has four finishes in the UFC, and that doesn't affect me at all."

Guskov considers Ankalaev the best fighter in the division. "Ankalaev is on a completely different level. He is at the very top of our weight class, so I have to bring my absolute best," he said. He added that Ankalaev is highly dangerous, physically powerful, difficult to deal with and well-rounded. "He's not the kind of opponent you can just knock out with one punch," Guskov said, signaling his wariness.

As of Friday, overseas bookmakers favor the former champion by roughly 80 to 20.

UFC Fight Night: Ankalaev vs. Guskov begins at 1 a.m. Sunday and will be broadcast live on tvN Sports and Tving.