Anthony Smith doesn’t think the UFC light heavyweight division is as thin on title contender options as some might think. With champion Alex Pereira further solidifying himself as a dominant force with a fourth-round TKO of Khalil Rountree on Saturday at UFC 307 , many are wondering who will be next to take on “Poatan,” who reiterated his desire to stick at 205 pounds following his win. Magomed Ankalaev is being anointed as a prominent candidate, but the Russian must first get through Aleksandar Rakic at UFC 308 on Oct. 26 in Abu Dhabi. Ankalaev (19-1-1 MMA, 10-1-1 UFC) is currently riding a divisional-best 12-fight unbeaten streak, but lackluster performances in key moments have hurt his standing, including when he fought Jan Blachowicz to a split draw in a vacant title bout at UFC 282 in December 2022.
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