Magomed Ankalaev criticized Anthony Smith‘s comments regarding his fighting style and title shot prospects, calling Smith his “easiest fight ever” while expressing that Aleksandar Rakic is his toughest opponent in the division.
Magomed Ankalaev didn’t hold back when addressing Anthony Smith. Later this month, Ankalaev is set to face Aleksandar Rakic at UFC 308. Many see this bout as a potential gateway to a title shot against light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira. But, not everyone sees it that way.
Anthony Smith, who once fought Ankalaev, has his doubts. Earlier this week, he mentioned other fighters might be more deserving of a shot at Pereira. According to Smith, Ankalaev’s fighting style doesn’t exactly thrill the UFC brass.
Smith told MMA Junkie, “I wouldn’t count on it because Volkan Oezdemir and Carlos Ulberg could make a case for themselves.” He went on to say that if Ankalaev performs as he sometimes does—winning but not impressively—it could hurt his chances. Remember the Jan Blachowicz fight? Dana White wasn’t pleased.
“Pereira just fought,” Smith continued. “Why didn’t he fight Ankalaev in Abu Dhabi?” He suggests there’s a reason for the delay in giving Ankalaev a title shot.
Ankalaev wasn’t too happy with these remarks. On Friday, he took to social media to clap back at Smith, calling him his “easiest fight ever.”
In a tweet, Ankalaev stated clearly, “Rakic is my toughest fight in the division.” And then: “Anthony Smith said I sometimes sting the show… remember what I did to you and Johnny Walker?”
He even gave a nod to Chael Sonnen, agreeing Rakic is his toughest fight while joking about using video game moves on Smith. Funny, right? Or maybe not.
The history between Ankalaev and Smith goes back to UFC 277. There, Ankalaev claimed victory via second-round TKO. That win led him to face Jan Blachowicz for the vacant light heavyweight title—a bout ending in a split draw.
Ankalaev later had a no-contest with Johnny Walker due to an eye poke but defeated him in their rematch. Oh, and he snagged a Performance of the Night bonus for that one! He’s also bested Volkan Oezdemir and Nikita Krylov.
Mark your calendars: UFC 308 hits Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on Oct. 26. Exciting times ahead!