Ankalaev Vs. Rakic Betting Odds, Prediction | UFC Betting Sites

UFC Fight Night: Ankalaev v Walker 2 — Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight contenders Magomed Ankalaev vs. Aleksandar Rakic will go to war this weekend (Sat., Oct. 26, 2024) at UFC 308 from Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

Ankalaev is widely viewed as the most dangerous threat to Alex Pereira’s Light Heavyweight throne, the combination of savvy striker and elite wrestler that could very likely undo “Poatan’s” reign of dominance. Given Pereira’s status as one of the only actual pay-per-vew (PPV) draws at the moment, it doesn’t take a rocket science to understand all the reason(s) UFC is opting send Ankalaev on the scenic route to a second title shot.

Rakic is a seriously dangerous pitfall on that path. Even having lost two in a row, Rakic is one of the rare fighters who can match Ankalaev’s size and strength, and he’s an excellent technician himself. Simply put, Rakic is a hard fight for anyone at 205 pounds.

Let’s take a closer look at the betting odds and strategic keys for each athlete:

Ankalaev vs. Rakic Betting Odds

Magomed Ankalaev victory: -360
Magomed Ankalaev via TKO/KO/DQ: TBD
Magomed Ankalaev via submission: TBD
Magomed Ankalaev via decision: TBD
Aleksandar Rakic victory: +285
Aleksandar Rakic via TKO/KO/DQ: TBD
Aleksandar Rakic via submission: TBD
Aleksandar Rakic via decision: TBD
Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

How Ankalaev Wins

Ankalaev is the rare Combat Sambo champion who prefers to kickboxer rather than wrestle. Ideally, he would mix to two together and really abuse his opponents, but Ankalaev tends to operate in one mode or the other. Given that he’s an excellent counter puncher AND excellent wrestler, it all tends to work out in the end.

Despite the wide odds, I’m not entirely sure what huge advantage Ankalaev holds here. The two feel very evenly matched. Ankalaev could pursue the wrestling, but that’s historically been a difficult path against Rakic. On the feet, both men are skilled kicks with power in their hands, but perhaps Ankalaev’s punches are a bit more accurate.

With that in mind, a bit of stalking pressure seems like the best bet for Ankalaev, whose opponent is unaccustomed to not having a major physical edge. If Ankalaev can press the Austrian kicker with his powerful left kick and snappy jab, he can make him uncomfortable. By controlling the center, he can force Rakic to take chances and expose himself to counters.

How Rakic Wins

Rakic is a really physical talent himself. Large and strong for the division, Rakic has found a lot of success wrestling opponents despite his Muay Thai background. On the feet, he does good work in using short combinations to set up hard kicks.

The bright side here for Rakic is that he has a more obvious path to success against Ankalaev: low kicks. We’ve seen that Ankalaev’s Southpaw stance is vulnerable to the inside low kick, and “Rocket” can absolutely blast kicks. Like Jan Blachowicz, he’s even pretty willing to kick through the shin.

Winning the distance battle can drastically shift the flow of this fight. Last time Ankalaev’s lead leg was kicked to pieces, he was able to bail himself out by wrestling an older Jan Blachowicz. If Rakic can put him in a similar situation, that’s going to be a much more difficult task given Rakic’s physicality, youth, and own wrestling skill.

Ankalaev vs. Rakic Prediction

I’m backing “Rocket” for the upset here.

Realistically, I expect the wrestling to cancel out here, leaving us with a kick boxing match between two men more comfortable blasting power kicks than trading in the pocket. Not only do I feel like Rakic’s inside low kick will end up a more significant weapon than Ankalaev’s left teep/body kick, but countering a taller/longer man is a challenging style.

In addition, I was actually quite impressed with how Rakic struck against Jiri Prochazka. He ended up getting Jiri’d, sure, but he was nearly perfect for the first five minutes. He initiated exchanges well, scored hard counters that would fold most men, and kicked the legs off “BJP.”

It was the best striking I’ve seen in his career, and if he can bring similar form to this bout, he gets the job done.

Prediction: Rakic via decision

Remember that MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 308 fight card right here, starting with the early ESPN+ “Prelims” matches online, which are scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. ET (simulcast on ESPNews at 8 p.m. ET), before the pay-per-view (PPV) main card start time at 2 p.m. ET (also on ESPN+).

To check out the latest and greatest UFC 308: “Topuria vs. Holloway” news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive right here.