Light heavyweight brawler Ion “The Hulk” Cutelaba (15-5, 12 KOs, 2 SUBs) will rematch Dagestani puncher Magomed Ankalaev (13-1, 8 KOs) at UFC 254 on Saturday, October 24, 2020 at UFC Fight Island in Abu Dhabi, UAE. The matchup supports a huge pay-per-view card headlined by undefeated lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov (28-0, 8 KOs, 10 SUBs), who will make his third title defense against violent action fighter Justin Gaethje (22-2, 19 KOs, 1 SUB). Let’s break down the best UFC online betting options for the rematch between Cutelaba and Ankalaev - the UFC odds at BookMaker.eu opened with Ankalaev as a -300 favorite, with Cutelaba at +230 on the comeback.
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Ion Cutelaba (15-5, 12 KOs, 2 SUBs)
The first time Cutelaba and Ankalaev squared off, only hardcore fans really knew to expect a brawl. Cutelaba dialed it up to 11 and turned this into a grudge match - the Moldovan walked right up to the Russian for a pre-fight mean mug, then the two got into a shoving match during Bruce Buffer’s pre-fight introductions. I can honestly say that I’ve never seen that before despite watching the sport for nearly two decades now. Then Cutelaba started slinging nuclear punches from the bell, setting up a short but memorable slugfest that was stopped way too early.
There will always be a place for guys like Cutelaba in the UFC. For starters, he’s a hyper aggressive knockout artist with a fan-friendly style. Additionally, fans are drawn to tough guys that look and fight like they’re always pissed off. He’s got that Mike Perry appeal, with none of the weirdness. What’s funny is that he’s actually a pretty well-rounded fighter who will always resort to banging. In some cases, it leads to dominant wins like his KO over Khalil Rountree. Other times, he’ll blow his wad and get worked over, as Glover Teixeira proved.
Cutelaba was on the losing end of the fight, as he got hit with several solid head kicks and was visually wobbled. The Moldovan swore that he was just playing wounded to draw Ankalaev in, but the fact of the matter is that he was losing the striking battle up to the point. Perhaps he’ll have a different strategy in the rematch...but likely not.
Magomed Ankalaev (13-1, 8 KOs)
It seems like we’ve gotta pay attention to any UFC fighter coming out of Dagestan, and Ankalaev is no different. In fact, he might just be the best light heavyweight prospect in the division right now. Signed to the UFC in 2017 as an 8-0 prospect, Ankalaev was caught by a sub in his UFC debut - but has been an absolute beast in four follow up fights. Of course, we have to mention that he’s been facing mid-tier talent like Klidson Abreu and Dalcha Lungiambula, but a win here should lock up a matchup with a more recognizable opponent.
But don’t think we can pencil in that W just yet - the Russian has a tough task ahead of him. But his patience on the feet, along with some serious killshot power, is an excellent style contrast against his ultra aggressive opponent. Ankalaev showed that when forced to engage, he can light it up with dynamic kickboxing. In his debut against Paul Craig, the 28-year old flashed excellent takedown and brutal GNP - typical of Dagestani fighters.
Significant Striking Stats
Strikes landed per minute: Cutelaba 5.24 / Ankalaev 3.05
Striking accuracy: Cutelaba 38% / Ankalaev 53%
Strikes absorbed per minute: Cutelaba 3.21 / Ankalaev 1.33
Striking defense: Cutelaba 48% / Ankalaev 67%
Grappling Stats
Takedowns per 15 minutes: Cutelaba 1.64 / Ankalaev 0.45
Takedown accuracy: Cutelaba 66% / Ankalaev 33%
Takedown defense: Cutelaba 80% / Ankalaev 83%
Submission average: Cutelaba 0 / Ankalaev 0
UFC Picks
Cutelaba’s aggression either works for or against him, depending on the matchup. Ankalaev is skilled enough to make it work against him, and he was showing that the first time around. Plus, he can always use his grappling as a crush, which makes him the easy pick here. At some point, Cutelaba will punch himself out, and Ankalaev will be there to mop up in the end.
UFC 254: Khabib vs. Gaethje Card & Odds
Lightweight Championship - Justin Gaethje +273 vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov -347
Middleweight - Jared Cannonier -117 vs. Robert Whittaker -107
Heavyweight - Walt Harris +147 vs. Alexander Volkov -176
Light Heavyweight - Ion Cutelaba +243 vs. Magomed Ankalaev -303
Middleweight - Jacob Malkoun +207 vs. Phil Hawes -255
Heavyweight - Tai Tuivasa -102 vs. Stefan Struve -122
Light Heavyweight - Sam Alvey +273 vs. Da Un Jung -347
Women’s Flyweight - Liana Jojua +338 vs. Miranda Maverick -444
Welterweight - Shavkat Rakhmonov -107 vs. Alex Oliveira -117
Catchweight - Casey Kenney -186 vs. Nathaniel Wood +154
Lightweight - Joel Alvarez -162 vs. Alexander Yakovlev +134
Access live betting lines from your mobile device at BookMaker Sportsbook! Real-time spreads, totals, props, and money lines are all available so start betting with BookMaker today.
