The Pro Take: Magomed Ankalaev Victor in Light Heavyweight Chess Match at UFC Vegas 50

By
Justin Gibbons
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Magomed Ankalaev, UFC Vegas 50
Magomed Ankalaev, UFC Vegas 50 weigh-in Credit: Alex Behunin/Cageside Press

On paper the UFC Vegas 50 fight card was one of the top cards of the year, especially for a Fight Night event. The main event between Thiago Santos and Magomed Ankalaev was the perfect headliner, with real stakes for whoever came out of the 205lb match-up.

Thiago Santos was the absolute underdog coming into the main event, but the one thing you can’t count out when it comes to Santos is his power. With so much pressure being placed on Magomed Ankalaev, Thiago Santos had a chance to shock the world and spoil a lot of bets on Saturday.

With a win over Thiago Santos, Magomed Ankalaev could continue his rise up the ranks and keep his winning streak inside the Octagon rolling. With seven wins in a row, many were already giving Ankalaev serious discussion on where he ranks come title contention talk.

We knew it was going to take but mistake, and the fight would have been over in an instant. Apparently, Santos and Ankalaev knew it was well. So instead of a brawl, it was a chess match from the beginning of the fight — who knew that Thiago Santos vs. Magomed Ankalaev would go so deep into the main event rounds? Heading to the judges, it could have been either man’s fight. In the end, Magomed Ankalaev got the win via decision in a light heavyweight chess match — then called for a title shot.

PROS GIVE THEIR TAKE

Check out how the pros reacted to Thiago Santos vs. Magomed Ankalaev below.

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