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Daniel Cormier feels Magomed Ankalaev may have clinched title shot after UFC Abu Dhabi finish: "The light heavyweight division is in a weird place"

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Daniel Cormier feels Magomed Ankalaev may have clinched title shot after UFC Abu Dhabi finish: "The light heavyweight division is in a weird place"

Daniel Cormier wouldn't be surprised if Magomed Ankalaev is Carlos Ulberg's first challenger.

Ankalaev fought Bogdan Guskov in the UFC Abu Dhabi headliner this past Saturday. Ankalaev was initially expected to face Khalil Rountree, but the dangerous striker had to pull out of the fight due to an injury. Guskov couldn't make it to the final horn as Anakalev scored a fifth-round TKO victory.

Having been a former UFC champion, Ankalaev's win could open the door for another title bout. In a post-fight reaction video posted on his YouTube channel, Cormier said that recent movement in the 205-pound weight class might increase Ankalaev's chances of facing the champion Ulberg next (h/t MMAJunkie).

“The light heavyweight division is in a weird place right now because it's got a new champion,†Cormier said. “Alex Pereira is up at heavyweight. Jamahal Hill is up at heavyweight. So a lot of the guys that have fought for the belt are out of the weight class and we haven't seen as many young challengers show themselves to be ready.

“Ankalaev getting that finish might have legitimately gotten him another opportunity to fight for the UFC championship against the new champion, Carlos Ulberg, when he comes back. He says he wants to be back early next year.â€

Ulberg was interviewed by UFC on Paramount+ after Ankalaev's win over Guskov in the curtain closer for UFC Abu Dhabi. The reigning light heavyweight champion said he saw everything he needed out of Ankalaev on fight night. “Black Jag†also said he hopes to return to action in early 2027.

Back in April, Ulberg suffered a torn ACL in his title win against Jiri Prochazka. Fans have discussed whether or not the UFC brass should book an interim title fight before Ulberg makes his return. Former middleweight contender Paulo Costa has made the jump to light heavyweight, and he's been calling for an interim title fight.

Do you agree with Daniel Cormier on Magomed Ankalaev possibly being called on for the next UFC light heavyweight title fight? Join in on the conversation in the comments below.

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UFC newcomer Luis Hernandez wants to ‘pull a Kevin Holland’

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UFC newcomer Luis Hernandez wants to ‘pull a Kevin Holland’
Luis
Hernandez wants to rise to stardom.

Hernandez earned his
Ultimate Fighting Championship contract with a submission win
on
Dana White's Contender Series earlier this month. He then made
a 10-day turnaround, stepping up on two days' notice for his UFC
debut against Sedriques
Dumas at
UFC Vegas 121.

“The Stache†earned a $100,000 performance bonus for forcing Dumas
to tap to a guillotine choke in under a minute. The Miami-Dade
Sheriff's Office deputy is looking to stay active in two divisions
and wants to become a household name.

Luis Hernandez wants to fight at middleweight and welterweight
after his unbeaten UFC start

Hernandez's short-notice UFC debut came at light heavyweight.
However, he wants to primarily compete at middleweight while
occasionally dropping to welterweight. The 30-year-old wants to
stay active and become a household name before turning his
attention to championship aspirations.

“I'm a company man,†Hernandez said on the “Deep Waters†podcast.
“I'm gonna make the fights happen. Any weight class you call me,
I’m about that money… I want to pull a Kevin
Holland and do both 170 and 185. I do want to go up the
rankings, but I want to become first a household name.â€

Hernandez holds a 9-0 record, with all nine of his victories coming
by stoppage.

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Raoni Barcelos shares video from hospital bed, vows to ‘come back stronger’ after terrifying UFC Vegas 121 loss

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Raoni Barcelos shares video from hospital bed, vows to ‘come back stronger’ after terrifying UFC Vegas 121 loss

Raoni Barcelos released a video from his hospital bed almost 48 hours after his scary defeat to Raul Rosas Jr. to confirm he's “doing well†and already anticipates a “stronger†return.

Barcelos had his five-fight winning streak snapped in the main event of UFC Vegas 121, which went down this past Saturday at the Meta APEX in Las Vegas, after collapsing unconscious in the fifth round in his bantamweight clash. The 39-year-old veteran shared a short statement Monday morning to say he was “doing great,†and thank fans on a video post hours later.

“Hey everyone, how's it going?†Barcelos said in Portuguese. “I'm here to send you a message and let you know that I'm doing well. I'm doing really well and undergoing all the exams here at the hospital. This is just the hospital's protocol, so I have to go through all of them. That's it, guys. I want to thank everyone for all the prayers and all the kind messages. Please keep sending that positive energy.â€

Barcelos was ahead in the scorecards and likely three minutes away from a decision win — had they gone the distance — before passing out in the clinch and needing immediate medical assistance, getting transported to a local hospital. Rosas Jr. was declared the winner by technical knockout.

“We move forward, on to the next one,†Barcelos said. “I gave everything I had inside that cage. Like I said before, I was only leaving that cage if I was carried out, and that's exactly how it happened. It wasn't the way I wanted it to be. I wanted to become champion and leave with the victory, but God knows everything. So we move on to the next one.

“I'm here, doing well. I'll be back, and I'll come back stronger. And I want to send all of you a kiss and a big hug. Thank you so much for everything. Thank you, and let's keep moving forward!â€

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Regian Eersel to defend Muay Thai gold in rematch with George Jarvis at The Inner Circle 33 on October 2 

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Regian Eersel to defend Muay Thai gold in rematch with George Jarvis at The Inner Circle 33 on October 2 

Seven times, ONE's lightweight kickboxing crown has ended up around the same waist. The lightweight Muay Thai belt has followed four times, and its current owner is about to defend it against a familiar face.

Regian Eersel puts his ONE Lightweight Muay Thai World Title up against George “G-Unit†Jarvis in the main event of The Inner Circle 33 on Friday, October 2. The five-bout card streams exclusively for members from Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.

The Suriname-born, Amsterdam-based striker has lost so rarely that his career defeats can be counted on one hand. He has defended gold in two of the most demanding striking disciplines on the planet.

His most recent kickboxing title win came via unanimous decision over Rungrawee Sitsongpeenong at The Inner Circle 10. That performance showed the two-sport king had not lost a step.

His most recent Muay Thai outing, meanwhile, was the first meeting with Jarvis at ONE Fight Night 34 in August 2025. It lasted 84 seconds before a combination left no room for argument.

That result reinforced his standing as one of the most technically complete strikers in the world. The rematch now tests whether a second look changes anything.

Few titleholders in ONE history have been as dominant. On Friday, he looks to extend that run against the man he dispatched last year.

Regian Eersel meets a challenger with Rungrawee history

Jarvis, a 26-year-old Englishman and former WBC Muay Thai World Champion, owns two knockouts of Rungrawee, a feat Eersel never achieved. He has spent every day since their first fight working toward another result, and dethroning the most successful lightweight striker in ONE history would stand as a generational statement.

The co-main event pits unbeaten atomweight Duangdawnoi Looksaikongdin, whose bonus-winning knockout of Regan “Coconut†Gowing came at ONE Friday Fights 137 last December, against Switzerland's Aline Seiberth, a WBC European titleholder with 30 professional wins. Dzhamil Osmanov vs. Ben Woolliss, Mia Trevorrow vs. Sheila Barrios, and Fahlap Toyotarayong vs. Yugo Kato round out the lineup.

This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM


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