Khalil Rountree has been forced out of his light heavyweight bout against Magomed Ankalaev at UFC Abu Dhabi. Bogdan Guskov has been named as his replacement for the card.
Bogdan Guskov will step in on short notice to face Magomed Ankalaev at UFC Abu Dhabi after Khalil Rountree Jr. was forced off the card on July 13, 2026.
Ankalaev enters the bout as the division's top-ranked contender and the number-five pound-for-pound fighter in the world, carrying a record of 21-2-1. The 34-year-old Russian, who trains out of Gorets Fight Club, is a technically polished fighter who combines striking accuracy — connecting on 52 percent of his significant strikes — with a steady takedown threat at 0.79 per 15 minutes. At six-foot-three with a 75-inch reach, he is a physically imposing presence at 185 pounds.
Guskov, nicknamed "Czarevitch" and representing Uzbekistan's GOR MMA, comes in ranked tenth in the light heavyweight division with an 18-3-1 record. The 33-year-old is also six-foot-three and carries a 76-inch reach, making him a near-identical physical match for Ankalaev. His offensive output stands out, as he lands 4.17 significant strikes per minute at an accuracy rate of 55 percent, while also averaging 1.1 submission attempts per 15 minutes — giving him a two-dimensional threat on the feet and the ground.
Rountree, a southpaw ranked seventh in the division at 15-7-0, was originally scheduled to be Ankalaev's opponent. The 36-year-old New Yorker lands 3.88 significant strikes per minute but has recorded no takedown attempts in his UFC tenure.
Why it matters
- Ankalaev is one win away from a title shot, making any opponent across from him a major gatekeeper fight
- Guskov jumps from tenth to facing the division's top contender, representing the biggest fight of his career
- Both replacement and original opponent are strikers, but Guskov's submission activity adds a grappling dimension Rountree did not bring
