Magomed Ankalaev calls title loss 'worst day of my life'

Former UFC heavyweight/" class="internal-link text-bone underline decoration-ash/30 hover:decoration-gold underline-offset-2">light heavyweight champion Magomed Ankalaev has opened up about the emotional aftermath of losing his title to Alex Pereira last October, calling the defeat the darkest moment of his career.

Ankalaev captured the belt from Pereira in March 2025 after a grueling five-round battle, only to lose it seven months later when Pereira stopped him in the rematch inside the opening minute. "It must have been the worst day of my life," Ankalaev told MMA Fighting through a translator ahead of his return this weekend. "I lost the fight, I lost the belt, and it was really hard for me to get back here."

Injury and mental recovery shaped Ankalaev's absence

The Dagestani fighter admitted the loss kept him out of the gym for weeks. "It must have been about a month that I was down on myself and I couldn't get myself to go back to the gym and stuff like that," he said. His coach Sukhrab Magomedov told Anatomy of a Fight that Ankalaev fought the rematch with broken ribs that limited his training camp, a detail that emerged only after the stoppage loss.

Magomedov acknowledged the team made an emotional call to accept the fight despite the injury, not wanting to disappoint the promotion. Per MMA Mania, the coach vowed they would no longer rush into bouts without full health and preparation. Ankalaev claimed he has since regained form and expects to show a different version of himself when he faces late replacement Bogdan Guskov at UFC Abu Dhabi on Saturday.

Guskov stepped in after Khalil Rountree withdrew from the card. All fighters made weight Friday.

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• MMA Mania — Magomed Ankalaev: Losing UFC heavyweight/" class="internal-link text-bone underline decoration-ash/30 hover:decoration-gold underline-offset-2">light heavyweight title was ‘worst day of my life’