Bogdan Guskov says nobody wanted Magomed Ankalaev fight on short notice

Bogdan Guskov did not hesitate when presented with an extraordinary opportunity to headline UFC Abu Dhabi on just 14 days' notice. The Russian heavyweight stepped up to face Magomed Ankalaev after Khalil Rountree withdrew from the matchup due to injury, but Guskov's immediate acceptance revealed something telling: no other fighter the UFC approached wanted the fight.

Guskov (18-3) made his decision in under a minute. When his manager called offering the short-notice booking, Guskov needed only 30 seconds of reflection before committing. "My manager called and said, 'We've got an opportunity. I'm not pushing you. I'm not insisting on anything. Think it over for 24 hours and give me your answer.' We talked, I put the phone down, and just 30 seconds later, I was like, 'What is there to think about?'" he told Red Corner MMA.

However, Guskov was not the UFC's first choice. Jan Blachowicz, the former light heavyweight champion who was originally scheduled to fight at UFC Belgrade on August 1, was also offered the Ankalaev booking. Blachowicz requested 24 hours to determine whether he could make weight, but the UFC opted not to wait. Meanwhile, Paulo Costa confirmed he had also been approached but declined, unwilling to undertake a 16-hour flight to Abu Dhabi for a fight on such short notice with insufficient financial incentive.

Guskov's willingness to step in underscored Ankalaev's (20-2) standing as a formidable test that most established fighters wished to avoid. "I don't need 24 hours to get to the scales and find out whether I can make weight or not, as some other guys," Guskov said. "So everybody turned it down. And I knew from the start that nobody would want to fight Magomed." The booking highlighted both Guskov's hunger for high-profile opportunities and Ankalaev's fearsome reputation in the division.