A pivotal matchup of top-five light heavyweights will go down at UFC 308 when Magomed Ankalaev and Aleksandr Rakic meet inside the octagon.
Magomed Ankalaev vs. Aleksandr Rakic preview
Since losing his UFC debut to Paul Craig in 2018 with one second left in the third round, Ankalaev (19-1-1 MMA, 10-1-1 UFC), who’s No. 2 in the official UFC light heavyweight rankings, has gone unbeaten in 11 fights. His only blemish is a split draw vs. Jan Blachowicz for the then-vacant 205-pound title in late 2022. He’s coming off a Performance of the Night knockout in a rematch with Johnny Walker to open the year in January. While that seemingly should’ve secured a title shot, the opportunity went to No. 8 Khalil Rountree.
Rakic, ranked No. 5, is badly in need of a rebound. After back-to-back wins over former title challengers Anthony Smith and Thiago Santos, he’s experienced consecutive TKO losses to former champs Blachowicz and Jiri Prochazka, the most recent of which came in April. It’s the first two-fight skid of his career.
Magomed Ankalaev vs. Aleksandr Rakic odds
Ankalaev will enter UFC 308 as a heavy favorite, with FanDuel listing him -310 and Rakic a +230 underdog.
How to watch Magomed Ankalev vs. Aleksandr at UFC 308
- When: Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024
- Where: Etihad Arena, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi
- Broadcast/streaming: ESPN+ pay-per-view
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 308.
