UFC 254: Magomed Ankalaev wants to sort out Ion Cutelaba beef, once and for all
- Controversial end to first clash has left tempers simmering ahead of Saturday’s return showdown
- ‘I’m cold blooded. I’m going to win this fight no matter what he does,’ says Ankalaev
In a year that has come full of surprises in the UFC, people are still scratching their heads when it comes to working out what went down in February when Russian light heavyweight Magomed Ankalaev met Ion Cutelaba of Moldova.
The final result – after just 38 seconds – was officially a TKO (punches and kicks) to Ankalaev.
But fans had already seen Cutelaba rush up to his Russian opponent before the bell while making a cutting motion across his throat to signify his intent. They’d seen the pair separated, and then the fight actually start, and then Ankalaev almost immediately landed what looked to be a number of kicks and punches to Cutelaba’s head.
The Moldovan was left staggering, seemingly punch drunk, across the cage. But was he actually hurt?
Referee Kevin MacDonald thought so, and made the TKO call, but Cutelaba waved the result away – and later claimed he was play acting all the time. “Controversial” was the call from the UFC. “Sham” was the collective social media appraisal.
“I know that I tagged him, that he was wobbling. But I don’t know if he continued to do that on purpose or he was really hurt. Only he can say the truth,” the 11th-ranked Ankalaev told SCMP MMA this week.