UFC 308 Showdown: Ankalaev vs. Rakić in a Battle for Light Heavyweight Supremacy

UFC 308 is setup to be an incredible event. There are several bouts on the card that look ready to provide MMA fans with exceptional viewing.

All the talk leading into the event will be on the contest for the UFC Featherweight Championship between Ilia Topuria and Max Holloway. Indeed, the champion goes into it for the first time as a title defender. At the same time, he has an unbeaten 15-0 record that he will want to protect against the veteran (26-7).

However, if we were to look beyond the headline spectacle for a second, a quick glance down the card will see mouths starting to salivate, eyebrows raised, and lips being licked.

Ankalaev vs. Rakić

The light-heavyweight division has some big names currently fighting in the UFC at the moment. Two of those will be on the card at UFC 308 in Abu Dhabi on October 26.

Magomed Ankalaev is the #1 ranked fighter in this weight class, and he will go up against Aleksandar Rakić (the #4 ranked). The pair will put their fists together inside the Octagon and will be looking to extend their own personal records. A win for either of them could put them in contention to face the winner at UFC 307 between Alex Pereira (current champion) and Khalil Rountree Jr. (challenger).

Ankalaev is currently in the better form of the two. The Russian won in his last outing, as he defeated Johnny Walker in January. He hasn’t tasted defeat since 2018, giving him a fight record that reads 19-1-1, 1 NC. Since his last loss, he has won 10 fights in a row.

Rakić will come into this bout on the back of a pair of defeats. He was beaten by Jan Błachowicz in 2022, before suffering a loss in 2024 against Jiří Procházka. Both of these came by way of TKO. These defeats resulted in the Serbian-Austrian’s record going to 14-4-0.

Unsurprisingly, the latest MMA odds reflect this in the prices that have been set. Ankalaev is the clear favorite heading into UFC 308, with odds as low as 1.26 being offered. For Rakić, they are as high as 3.95.

What should we expect to see happen at Ankalaev vs. Rakić?

It’s difficult to go against the betting odds of this fight when trying to predict what might happen in the Octagon. The two fighters might be well-matched and a quality bout is likely to happen, but there should only be one winner.

For many MMA fans, it would be hard not to see Ankalaev leave the Octagon victorious. Many also expect him to be victorious in a convincing fashion. A KO/TKO prediction is what many fight fans predict will take place. At the same time, there are a vast number who believe the fight will need to go the distance and will require a decision.

Where everybody seems to be in agreement is regarding Rakić’s lack of chance. A win for the 32-year-old is considered to be very slim.

Will Ankalaev vs. Rakić steal all the UFC 308 headlines?

Given that Ankalaev vs. Rakić isn’t the headline fight and is only one of the main card bouts, it’s possible that it could steal the night from everyone else.

As mentioned, most will be focused on the bout between Ilia Topuria and Max Holloway. Quite rightly, as it is the main event and the only fight on the card that features a belt being at stake. The contest features an undefeated featherweight who is becoming the latest star in the UFC and a man who has been around for years at the top.

However, as both Ankalaev & Rakić continue to fight for light heavyweight supremacy, it could prove to be more interesting to fight fans on the night. We should expect to see plenty of hard-hitting action, with both men being extremely unforgiving in their quest for glory.

Nonetheless, fight fans who do tune into UFC 308 should expect to see a quality card that consists of 14 MMA bouts on the night in Abu Dhabi. Whatever happens, there will be headlines being written wherever we look on October 26.