Bogdan Guskov offers hilarious prediction for ‘big chance’ against Magomed Ankalaev at UFC Abu Dhabi

Bogdan Guskov has eagerly accepted a main-event opportunity against Magomed Ankalaev at UFC Abu Dhabi on Saturday, moving up his timeline after fighting to a majority draw with Jan Blachowicz at UFC 323 in December. The undefeated-in-five light heavyweight seized the chance without hesitation, viewing it as a career-altering moment against a bigger name than his originally scheduled opponent.

Guskov (18-3-1) has finished all four of his recent octagon wins, including knockouts over Ryan Spann and Nikita Krylov, since losing his UFC debut to Volkan Oezdemir in September 2023. His opponent, Ankalaev (20-2-1, 1 NC), returns for the first time after losing the light heavyweight title to Alex Pereira at UFC 320 in October, a result Guskov dismissively called "a bad day at the office" for the Russian.

With new champion Carlos Ulberg sidelined following his title win over Jiri Prochazka at UFC 327 in April, Guskov sees a clear path forward. "This chance can change my career, change my life," Guskov told MMA Fighting, adding that he didn't need to think about accepting the fight. "I say let's go like this, 50 seconds."

As for his prediction, Guskov delivered in characteristically colorful fashion, comparing his bouts to Walido—an aspirin-like remedy. "Be ready, take a pillow, and eat this one," he said. "My fights every time is like this. I love this one because I fight every time with emotion. I think on this, this fight is the same."