5 UFC prospects to watch in 2019

Modified Dec 30, 2018 13:46 GMT

Ion Cutelaba is a man to watch at 205lbs

#4 Magomed Anlakaev

Magomed Ankalaev could be the next big star from Dagestan

Dagestan has of course been a massive breeding ground for dangerous UFC fighters for some time now – witness the success of Zabit Magomedsharipov, Rustam Khabilov, Islam Makhachev and most notably Khabib Nurmagomedov as evidence. Light-Heavyweight prospect Magomed Ankalaev might well prove to be the next major contender to be produced by the Russian republic.

Ankalaev debuted in the UFC last March with some fanfare and it looked like he’d live up to his early hype as he pummelled Paul Craig for 3 straight rounds, chaining his striking, takedowns and ground-and-pound together with expertise. But then he fell victim to a Hail Mary triangle choke, and all of that hype seemed to evaporate.

Get the latest updates on One Championship Rankings at Sportskeeda and more

That probably wasn’t fair – Ankalaev had been caught, but he’d looked tremendous prior to that, and in his next fight, he destroyed Marcin Prachnio in the first round with a head kick. As Light-Heavyweight is a relatively thin division, with one or two solid wins Ankalaev could well find himself in the top ten by the end of 2019. He’s a man to watch for sure.

About the author

Scott is a veteran MMA writer with over two decades of experience, including his ongoing tenure in Sportskeeda, which began seven years ago. He has written over 3000 pieces for the organization, while also covering football. Before joining Sportskeeda, Scott wrote articles for websites like The Oratory and Inside Pulse MMA.

Scott has a degree in history, which drives his research skills and helps him compile accurate information. His long stint in the field helps Scott provide a clear take on important topics, such as the criticism of promotions regarding fighter pay. While he feels fighters deserve a bigger revenue share, he doesn’t want MMA to suffer with purse-split issues.

Scott’s work has been previously reshared by the former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman. He uses credible sources, such as the UFC’s official website, during the writing process.

His dedication to MMA writing won him the Feature Writer of the Month award for Sportskeeda in November 2021.

Outside of work, Scott likes to go to the gym, walk his dog, and travel.

Know More

Follow One Championship News, Schedule & Results at Sportskeeda.

Edited by GVS Sastry