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At UFC Vegas 50, Magomed Ankalaev picked up his eighth consecutive win inside the organization, defeating former title challenger Thiago Santos via unanimous decision.
With an impressive 17-1 record, Ankalaev has now firmly entrenched himself among the top five of the division and is well within sight of a future shot at the light heavyweight title.
Many are touting Ankalaev as a future champion of the division. However, it is likely that he will need at least one more high-profile win before he gets his shot at the belt. With that being said, in the following list, we breakdown five potential opponents for Magomed Ankalaev after his UFC Vegas 50 win over Thiago Santos.
Honorable mentions go to the winner of Paul Craig vs. Nikita Krylov, Jamahal Hill and the loser of the upcoming title fight between Glover Teixeira and Jiri Prochazka.
#5. Magomed Ankalaev vs. Dominick Reyes
Ankalaev should only pursue a fight with Dominick Reyes if none of the other light heavyweights on this list are available. However, based on global current affairs, this could most likely end up being the case.
Dominick Reyes is an exciting striker with lethal kicks. He also came incredibly close to beating 205 lb legend Jon Jones at UFC 247. Many were shocked that the judges did not have him winning.
Since then, Reyes has suffered back-to-back losses against Jan Blachowicz and Jiri Prochazka respectively. He will be looking to get back to the title picture and a fight against Ankalaev will do exactly that.
Reyes would also likely force an exciting performance from Ankalaev. with 'The Devestator's' aggressive style requiring a similar response from his opponents in order for them not to get overwhelmed.
#4. Magomed Ankalaev vs. Jan Blachowicz
Former UFC light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz was scheduled for a number one contender bout against Aleksandar Rakić, set to take place at UFC Vegas 51. However, Blachowicz was forced to pull out of the fight due to a neck injury.
It is unclear as to when Blachowicz will be medically ready to compete again, but it could be that it lines up with Ankalaev's future plans. A matchup between Blachowicz and Ankalaev would undoubtedly serve as a title eliminator fight with the winner likely facing the victor of Glover Teixeira and Jiri Prochazka.
A fight with Blachowicz would also be Ankalaev's biggest test to date and would demonstrate how ready he is to be competing for UFC light heavyweight gold. Blachowicz is a dangerous fighter who has overcome numerous top competitors including Dominick Reyes, Israel Adesanya, and Corey Anderson.
#3. Magomed Ankalaev vs. the winner of Glover Teixeira vs. Jiri Prochazka
This is most likely Ankalaev's preferred next fight, regardless of whether he is truly deserving of a title shot yet or not. Depending on how long Blachowicz is out for and if the UFC intends on rebooking his fight with Rakic, it could be that Ankalaev becomes the only available contender to fight for the belt in the latter half of 2022.
At UFC 275, the current 205lb champion Glover Teixeira takes on Jiri Prochazka, who is riding a 12-fight winning streak that includes victories over Dominick Reyes, Volkan Oezdemir, and C.B. Dolloway.
Glover Teixeira captured the UFC light heavyweight by defeating Jan Blachowicz at UFC 267 having amassed an impressive five-fight winning streak against the elite of the UFC.
#2. Magomed Ankalaev vs. Anthony Smith
No.4 ranked UFC light heavyweight Anthony Smith has been within the top contender mix for the past few years. 'Lionheart' is currently on a three-fight winning streak having defeated Devin Clark, Jimmy Crute, and Ryan Spann.
Smith fought for the title against Jon Jones at UFC 235 but was unvictorious. However, he is now in a similar position to Ankalaev, where one big win could be enough to see him fight for the title.
Many were calling for a matchup between the two men after Ankalaev defeated Santos and it would not be surprising if the UFC decided to pair them up in a future bout. Smith has previously called for a fight with Aleksandar Rakić, but he would likely be just as happy with a bout against Ankalaev.
#1. Magomed Ankalaev vs. Aleksandar Rakić
Aleksandar Rakić is arguably the most logical opponent for Magomed Ankalaev right now. As mentioned above, 'Rocket' was scheduled for a number one contender bout with Jan Blachowicz. But with the former champ temporarily out of the picture, Rakić is now in need of a new opponent.
Rakić is coming off a slightly lackluster win over Thiago Santos, similar to Ankalev. Both men are deserving of the positions they hold in the light heavyweight rankings, but need a showcase performance to adhere to the more casual MMA fans. Rakic and Ankalaev are commonly regarded as the two highest level light heavyweights outside of the currently booked title fight.
A statement win over the other would surely raise their profile significantly, whilst also setting the winner up for a shot at the winner of Glover Teixeira vs. Jiri Prochazka for the 205lb title.
