Guskov steps in for Rountree as Ankalaev's UFC Abu Dhabi main event gets new opponent

Bogdan Guskov will replace Khalil Rountree as Magomed Ankalaev’s opponent in the UFC Abu Dhabi main event on July 25 at Etihad Arena, the UFC announced Monday. The reason for Rountree’s withdrawal was not disclosed.

Ankalaev (20-2-1, 1 NC) enters the fight ranked No. 3 in the MMA Fighting Global Rankings, still rebuilding momentum after losing the UFC light heavyweight title back to Alex Pereira at UFC 320 last October. It was Ankalaev who had ended Pereira’s reign as 205-pound champion, but “Poatan” gained his revenge in their immediate rematch — Ankalaev’s first defeat since his UFC debut in March 2018.

Guskov (18-3-1), ranked No. 12 at light heavyweight, steps in from a card of his own. He had been scheduled to rematch Jan Blachowicz at UFC Belgrade on August 1, a fight that had already been postponed once from UFC 328 due to a Blachowicz injury. That bout now appears to be off the schedule again, though it remains unclear whether Blachowicz will stay on the Belgrade card with a new opponent or be moved to a different event.

For Guskov, the opportunity is a significant one. A win over the No. 3-ranked Ankalaev would push him into the top five of the division and firmly into title contention. His only previous meeting with Blachowicz, at UFC 323, ended in a majority draw, and the pair have twice failed to settle the score in a rematch — leaving both men to move on to fresh matchups for now.