“Send me message, like location.” Khabib Nurmagomedov dropped this iconic line on Conor McGregor after the infamous bus incident that set the stage for their historic UFC 229 showdown. Now, nearly seven years later, fighters still love to echo ‘The Eagle’s’ words when calling someone out. At UFC Abu Dhabi, Bogdan Guskov became the latest to pay tribute for reviving those lines once again. 

The 32-year-old Uzbek powerhouse stepped in to face the legendary 205er Nikita Krylov as the opener for the UFC Abu Dhabi card. While many favored ‘The Miner’ for his experience in gritty wars against the likes of Glover Teixeira and current champ Magomed Ankalaev. Guskov completely dominated, showing that Krylov may have already seen his best days inside the Octagon.   

Guskov entered the UFC with a debut loss to Volkan Oezdemir but responded emphatically by returning with highlight finishes over Zac Pauga, Ryan Spann, and Billy Elekana, earning multiple Performance of the Night bonuses before his biggest win this weekend.

‘Czarevitch’ made it look easy, landing a clean straight right before sealing the deal with vicious ground-and-pound, wrapping things up at 4:18 of the very first round. With his swift finish and newly earned spot in the top 10, Guskov channeled his inner Khabib and echoed his famous words to send a clear message to the rest of the light heavyweight division. 

Guskov stated during the UFC Abu Dhabi octagon interview, “I wait for 3 minutes for this moment. I give interview and said, for me, need just one moment and I show everything. Now, I’m the top 10 baby!” Bisping asked, “who do you want next?” He replied “Just give me location and say for my name. It’s all. And I show beautiful fight in MMA doesn’t matter, whoo!” 

That was definitely a solid call using one of the game’s greatest lines to grab some attention. But it came after securing a win over a seasoned and respected UFC veteran like Nikita Krylov. Guskov didn’t just make noise! He also backed it up. 

Fans on Reddit and X immediately drew comparisons to Khabib’s calling‑out style, praising Guskov for reviving “Send my location” banter and celebrating his right‑hand power. A viral clip of the knockout surpassed 100K views within hours. And after the fight, he also shed some light on how he handled such a formidable opponent. Let’s dive in. 

Bogdan Guskov details stepping in against Nikita Krylov at UFC Abu Dhabi 

Nikita Krylov has long been one of the most respected names at 205, having faced nearly every top contender in the division. However, the 33-year-old Ukrainian just suffered his second brutal loss in a row, both by knockout. After being put out by Dominick Reyes at UFC 314 in his return from a two-year shoulder injury layoff, Krylov stepped into UFC Abu Dhabi only to be stopped again. 

Bogdan Guskov put on a clinic for the crowd after a brief exchange of strikes. ‘Czarevitch’ quickly found his rhythm, landing sharp leg kicks and clean jabs before spotting the perfect opening. A powerful right hand dropped Krylov hard, and Guskov wasted no time following up to finish the job. Securing a massive win over a credible name and punching his ticket into the 205 lbs top 10 rankings. 

During his Octagon interview at UFC Abu Dhabi, Guskov shared the mindset behind his highlight-reel finish, “Yeah, I said, I waited for the moment. And at this moment, look at this! I knew this, and I know at this moment this guy is done!” He also took a moment to show love to the people behind the scenes, adding, “And I just want to say a big thank you to my team!”  

‘Czarevitch’ just added a big name to his resume with that win. But the climb only gets steeper from here. With a top-10 spot now secured, it might not be long before he’s staring across the cage at killers like Volkan Oezdemir or Aleksandar Rakic. Do you think Guskov’s got what it takes to hang with the next wave of contenders? Drop your thoughts in the comments!