Bogdan Guskov has spoken publicly for the first time after his short notice defeat to Magomed Ankalaev in the UFC Abu Dhabi main event.
The light heavyweight contender came up short against the former champion, who secured a fifth-round TKO after wearing Guskov down over the course of five rounds. Days after the loss, Guskov took to social media to thank his supporters and promise a stronger return.
Guskov apologizes to supporters after first UFC main event
On Monday, Guskov shared a heartfelt message on Twitter, acknowledging the disappointing result while expressing gratitude to those who stood by him.
“I’m sorry to everyone who believed in me.”
“That night wasn’t my night, but I’m grateful for everyone who stood behind me and supported me through this journey.”
“I’ll learn from this, come back stronger. I’m not done yet.”
The bout marked the first UFC main event of Guskov’s career. However, he struggled to match Ankalaev’s pace and control throughout the contest. Ankalaev eventually took the fight to the mat late in the fifth round and finished the fight by TKO.
Winning streak ends after accepting short-notice opportunity
Guskov entered the Abu Dhabi headliner riding a five-fight unbeaten streak and carrying significant momentum in the light heavyweight division.
Before the opportunity to challenge Ankalaev arose, Guskov was set to run it back with former UFC light heavyweight champion Jan Błachowicz at UFC Belgrade. Their first clash at UFC 323 ended in a hard-fought draw, leaving plenty of unanswered questions and making the rematch one of the card’s most anticipated bouts.
Instead, Guskov accepted the opportunity to challenge Ankalaev in a higher-profile main event. The loss dropped his UFC record to five wins and two defeats inside the Octagon.