Thiago Santos vs Magomed Ankaleav in UFC Vegas 50 will see the two competitors go up against each other in a Light Heavyweight bout that will see two of the best in the division in the world square off, know its prediction
This contest looks all set to provide viewers with all of the ingredients to be an incredible fight and one that many will perhaps have an eye on placing a wager. Indeed, those that are interested may have noticed that it looks easy to make a deposit with the FanDuel sportsbook, therefore providing them with the opportunity to get involved.
UFC Fight Night 203 Vegas 50 Thiago Santos vs Magomed Ankaleav Date, Prediction, Preview
Thiago Santos and Magomed Ankaleav will leave it all out in the Octagon on March 12, 2022, at UFC Fight Night 203 when the promotion takes over Las Vegas, Nevada, at the UFC Apex center.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at the tale of the tape, what the fighters have been able to achieve in their professional fight careers to date and who could potentially end up winning the fight and what it could mean for them in the future.
Fight records and Tale of Tape
As already highlighted, UFC Fight Night 203 will see two exceptional Light Heavyweight behemoths clash inside the Octagon on Saturday 12 March, with Santos and Ankaleav both extremely talented when in the cage.
Taking a look at Santos first, the Brazilian is currently ranked as the #8 in the world in this division and has a fight record that reads 22-9-0. However, his fight record has taken a bit of a beating in recent fights as he has won two of his last five fights, with three having been successive defeats.
The South American stands 6’ 2” tall (188cm) and has a reach of 76” (193cm) and is slightly heavier than his opponent at 206 lbs (93.4kg).
Ankaleav has competed in fewer professional fights than Santos at this stage, although he is nine years younger than his senior at 29. His current fight record is impressive, though, as he has managed to achieve one that reads 16-1-0, with his last five meetings ending in victory. The last two bouts he was in ended in unanimous decisions, although the three prior to those ended with stoppages.
Ranked as the #6 in the world at this weight, he is of a similar frame as he stands at 6’ 3” (191cm) and has a reach of 75” (191cm). As mentioned, he is slightly lighter than the Brazilian, as he weighs 205.5 lbs (93.2kg), although it is almost virtually the same. With these measurements in mind, it is clear the duo are both evenly matched.
Previous fights
As revealed, the duo is in contrasting form at the moment, with the Russian fighter clearly the man in better form after winning each of his last five contests.
In those contests, he managed to beat Dalcha Lungiambula, Ion Cutelaba (twice), Nikita Krylov, and Volkan Oezdemir most recently.
Santos has experienced three defeats in between two victories, which will perhaps cause some concern about his chances of coming out victorious in this bout.
The Brazilian impressively defeated Jan Blachowicz, before being beaten by Jon Jones (by split decision), Glover Teixeira (via submission), and Aleksandar Rakic (via unanimous decision) before winning his last bout against Johnny Walker (via unanimous decision).
Who is likely to win the fight and what does it mean for them?
For many, there is no other way to look at this fight than predicting that Ankaleav will come out victorious, although whether he is able to do it inside the regulation or requires a decision remains to be seen.
The Russian certainly has an advantage in regard to momentum and age entering the fight, whilst many perhaps still question what Santos can actually do in the Octagon, with some suggesting that the Brazilian does not work to his strengths.
A win for Ankaleav would undoubtedly throw him into the title conversation, although should Santos win, then the title shot should not be out of his grasp, either. Therefore, it is clear there is a lot on the line for both men.