Magomed Ankalaev teases timeline for his next fight in the UFC

UFC champion Magomed Ankalaev has given fans an idea of when he might return to the Octagon to defend his light heavyweight crown.

Last Saturday night, Magomed Ankalaev finally reached the top of the mountain. He defeated Alex Pereira to capture the UFC light heavyweight championship, which is the goal he’s been working towards for his entire career. Now, he can call himself the new king, with many wondering whether or not there will be an immediate rematch.

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There’s definitely a chance, but either way, fans want to see Ankalaev get back in the cage sooner rather than later. We need to maintain the consistency that Pereira provided at 205 pounds, with a consistent stream of title fights throughout the year.

As per Ankalaev, though, if the calendar works out how it usually does, it may be October before we see him back in the cage.

Abu Dhabi ❤️

— Muhammad big ANK Ankalaev (@AnkalaevM) March 9, 2025

I want my first fight title defense to be in Abu Dhabi fight capital of the world I love it there🙏🏾❤️🇦🇪🇦🇪🇦🇪🇦🇪

— Muhammad big ANK Ankalaev (@AnkalaevM) March 9, 2025

Ankalaev teases UFC return

“Abu Dhabi [love heart emoji].”

“I want my first fight title defense to be in Abu Dhabi fight capital of the world I love it there.”

For Magomed Ankalaev, there aren’t going to be many fighters that he’ll fear in the division. He’s already been able to knock off the former champion, and if they do have a rematch, you’d have to think he’ll be feeling confident about his chances.

Do you believe we’ll have to wait until October to see Magomed Ankalaev make his return to the UFC? When he does come back, who do you expect him to face? Let us know your thoughts, BJPENN Nation!