Magomed Ankalaev appears to have his next fight confirmed, with a date and opponent set for his return. Following his first light heavyweight title defense, a first-round TKO loss to Alex Pereira at UFC 320 in October 2025, Ankalaev is slated to make his comeback. It was later revealed that the 33-year-old Russian fighter competed with a broken rib, which he aggravated during the match. After a nine-month hiatus, Ankalaev is now reportedly targeting a fight against former light heavyweight title challenger Khalil Rountree Jr. This matchup is expected to headline a UFC event in Abu Dhabi on July 25, taking place at the Etihad Arena in the United Arab Emirates.
The potential bout was initially reported by VestnikMMA on X. Ankalaev himself has also hinted at the fight’s confirmation through his social media activity, posting “Contract signed. I miss dunking on people. See you soon.”
Prior to his recent defeat, Ankalaev had an impressive 14-fight undefeated streak, which included a unanimous decision victory over Alex Pereira to capture the light heavyweight championship at UFC 313 in March 2025. His professional record in the UFC stands at 12 wins, 2 losses, and 1 no-contest, with notable victories over Aleksandar Rakić, Johnny Walker, and Thiago Santos.
Khalil Rountree Jr. is also looking to rebound from a recent setback. He is coming off a knockout loss to Jiří Procházka at UFC 320. Before that, Rountree Jr. secured a dominant unanimous decision win against Jamahal Hill at UFC Baku in June of last year, following his earlier loss to Pereira at UFC 307. Rountree Jr.’s UFC record is 10 wins, 7 losses, and 1 no-contest, with significant wins against Anthony Smith, Dustin Jacoby, and Gokhan Saki.