Anthony Smith doesn’t think the UFC light heavyweight division is as thin on title contender options as some might think.
With champion Alex Pereira further solidifying himself as a dominant force with a fourth-round TKO of Khalil Rountree on Saturday at UFC 307, many are wondering who will be next to take on “Poatan,” who reiterated his desire to stick at 205 pounds following his win.
Magomed Ankalaev is being anointed as a prominent candidate, but the Russian must first get through Aleksandar Rakic at UFC 308 on Oct. 26 in Abu Dhabi. Ankalaev (19-1-1 MMA, 10-1-1 UFC) is currently riding a divisional-best 12-fight unbeaten streak, but lackluster performances in key moments have hurt his standing, including when he fought Jan Blachowicz to a split draw in a vacant title bout at UFC 282 in December 2022.
