The UFC 254 main card opened with a rivalry that has been going on for quite some time now. Magomed Ankalaev took on Ion Cutelaba in the light heavyweight division. Quoted to be a cursed fight, Magomed Ankalaev vs Ion Cutelaba met an unfortunate end the last time around when both the fighters met each other inside the UFC octagon.

The drama and the excitement surrounding the fight was nothing less than Khabib Nurmagomedov vs Tony Ferguson, as Ankalaev vs Cutelaba has been called off many times in the past. When the fighters squared off for the first time, Ankalaev picked up a stoppage win over ‘The Hulk’. However, criticism surrounded the referee’s decision and Cutelaba quickly protested the verdict.

Magomed Ankalaev executes a brutal KO finish against Ion Cutelaba

It was a completely different story this time around. The Russian fighter answered his critics and in a manner that will keep many fight pundits at bay. While Ankalaev started slowly, as expected, ‘The Hulk’ looked reckless as he chased his opponent for the better part of the fight. The Russian fighter took his time and picked his shots.

He executed his game-plan well and did not rush even after clipping Cutelaba early in the first few minutes of the very first round. In the end, ‘The Hulk’ had to pay for his recklessness with Ankalaev landing a left counter, followed by a lethal right to drop Cutelaba on the canvas.

Ankalaev quickly moved to the ground and pound and landed several significant strikes. He left ‘The Hulk’ unconscious on the ground before the referee called off the fight. With this victory, Ankalaev has now five straight victories inside in the UFC light-heavyweight division.

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With just one loss in his UFC career, the eleventh-ranked fighter will look to further cement his position in the prestigious light-heavyweight division. Needless to say, a lot of interesting match-ups are right around the corner should Ankalaev make a quick turnaround.

What did you make of the light-heavyweight fighter’s finish at the Flash Forum?

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