Magomed Ankalaev opens as favorite over Carlos Ulberg, Jiri Prochazka

Magomed Ankalaev has emerged as the betting favorite in potential light heavyweight matchups against both Carlos Ulberg and Jiri Prochazka, according to early oddsmaking from BetOnline.

The Russian striker bounced back from his title loss with a dominant performance at UFC Abu Dhabi, finishing Bogdan Guskov in the final round of the main event to position himself back in championship contention. With that statement victory secured, sportsbooks have released initial lines for his next potential opponent at 205 pounds.

Should Ankalaev receive an immediate title shot against current champion Ulberg, he opens as a -190 favorite, making the New Zealand champion a +165 underdog. However, Ulberg is currently sidelined with an injury and not expected to return until 2027, which may necessitate an alternative path forward. If Ankalaev instead faces former champion Jiri Prochazka in a title eliminator or interim title bout, the Russian opens with even stronger odds at -200, with Prochazka returning at +175.

Ankalaev's original opponent for Abu Dhabi was Khalil Rountree, who withdrew due to injury before the event. Following his victory, Ulberg took to social media to pitch a solution: Ankalaev versus Prochazka and Rountree versus Paulo Costa as separate title eliminators, with the champion facing whoever emerges victorious. "Ankalaev vs Jiri. Give them both a full camp. It's a fight the division deserves, and stylistically it's one the fans would love to see," Ulberg wrote, suggesting a structured pathway that would allow him adequate recovery time while keeping the division active.