Magomed Ankalaev sent a statement to the Ultimate Fighting Championship light heavyweight division after defeating former title challenger Thiago Santos in the main event of UFC Fight Night 203.
The fight began with Santos (22-10) looking to throw bombs, but Ankalaev (16-1) was able to dodge the strikes and counter with his own. "Marreta" struggled to find his range as the Russian walked him down and never stopped advancing. However, Santos finally landed a punch that wobbled Ankalaev late in Round 2, which tilted the frame decisively in his favor.