Magomed Ankalaev and Nikita Krylov faced off in a Light Heavyweight clash tonight (Sat., Feb. 27, 2021) inside UFC APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada at UFC Vegas 20. After a competitive start, Ankalaev took control with his wrestling.
Krylov opened with a pair of body kicks. Clean right hand connection for Krylov, who then ducked toward the back clinch. Krylov dragged his foe down along the fence and triangled a leg. Ankalaev escaped back to the clinch, scored a clean knee to the mid-section. Back in the center, Krylov is kicking, but Ankalaev showed his counters. Krylov found a big left hand swing. Clean body kick for “Miner.” Good lead hand counter from Ankalaev. Kick-punch combination scored for Kyrlov, then the two traded in the pocket. Krylov scored with a nice combination, but Ankalaev answered with a straight left hand counter. Ankalaev timed a takedown very well to end the round, but Krylov somehow defended!
Krylov landed a good combination to start the second. Clean right hook counter landed for Ankalaev. Another. Krylov dug a body kick then an overhand. Ankalaev caught a kick, landed a hard knee. Ankalaev’s check hook was ultra accurate. Ankalaev ducked under a spin kick and turned it into a takedown. Krylov used the butterfly guard to prevent damage and tried to stand up. He nearly landed a reversal by sitting up into a double leg, but Ankalaev jammed him to his back. Ankalaev landed some good strikes before the end of the second round.
Krylov began the final round with a combination, and he found some early low kicks. Big right hand connection from Ankalaev! Ankalaev threw his opponent off his hips then dropped into his own takedown attempt along the fence. Ankalaev transitioned to an inside trip and scored half guard along the fence. Krylov wall-walked back to his feet, but Ankalaev kept him squished into the fence. Ankalaev forced him back down. Ankalaev chipped away with short punches as time ticked off the clock. The rounded end with Krylov stuck on his back along the fence, unable to escape his foe’s control and ground strikes.
This was not the prettiest win of his career, but Ankalaev got it done! Krylov’s volume and weirdness surprised him in the first, but afterward, Ankalaev’s check hook was the most important punch of the fight, and his takedowns kept him well ahead on the scorecards.
Result: Magomed Ankalaev defeats Nikita Krylov via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
For complete UFC Vegas 20: “Gane vs. Rozenstruik” results and play-by-play, click HERE!