White first mentioned the possibility during a conversation with streamer Adin Ross, highlighting the UFC’s continued global expansion. The announcement now locks in Serbia as the next new destination on the promotion’s calendar.
While bouts have yet to be finalized, several regional names have already been linked to the event or have shown interest in competing. Aleksandar Rakic, Ante Delija, Uros Medic, Ivan Erslan, and Dusko Todorovic are among the fighters connected to the card.
If you didn’t believe in Azamat Murzakanov, he cannot be denied now after he scored a first-round finish of Aleksandar Rakic to open the pay-per-view main card of UFC 321.
Rakic looked to pressure Murzakanov with his striking early on in the fight. He then looked for a pair of takedowns, but Murzakanov was able to fend off those attempts.
Murzakanov, however, was able to put things away in sudden fashion with one right jab that dropped Rakic in the center of the Octagon.
Azamat Murzakanov Stops Aleksandar Rakic At UFC 321
Murzakanov moves to 16-0. Maybe the most slept on fighter in @UFC history. He is the fighter where other fighters title aspirations go to die while no one mentions him. It’s time to start putting him in the conversation #UFC321https://t.co/SSS7EU3xSj
Damn Murzakanov slept Rakic bad man, clean right hand that just put him down. Defended takedowns well and stopped Rakic’s gameplan to that point, biggest win of his career #UFC321
UFC light heavyweight contender Aleksandar Rakic has spoken about how he’s mixed things up heading into his UFC 321 bout with Azamat Murzakanov.
On Saturday night, Aleksandar Rakic will make his return to the cage when he locks horns with Azamat Murzakanov. In his last three fights, Rakic has suffered defeats at the hands of Jan Blachowicz, Jiri Prochazka and Magomed Ankalaev. If he’s serious about one day becoming a world champion in the UFC, he can’t afford too many losses – especially against a surging challenger like Murzakanov.
Aleksandar Rakic has always been pretty highly thought of by mixed martial arts fans, but whether it be due to injuries or stumbling on the big stage, he hasn’t quite been able to reach that next level. If he can hand Murzakanov his first ever professional loss in the sport, and do so convincingly, it could go a long way to repairing his reputation.
In a recent interview, Rakic had the following to say about what he’s changed as we get closer and closer to fight night in Abu Dhabi.
Aleksandar Rakic discusses changes ahead of UFC 321
“I changed teams. I changed my whole team. I have a new head coach, training in Serbia full-time, and yeah, it took me like one year exactly now from the last fight to digest everything and to work with the new team and to get clicked. And I believe you will see on Saturday night the full potential of Alexander Rakic.”
Can he turn things around? We’ll have to wait and see.
Topping the lineup will be reigning UFC Featherweight Champion Ilia Topuria, who is tasked with getting the better of former kingpin Max Holloway if he’s to record a first successful title defense.
Before they go to battle, the co-main event will see ex-middleweight titleholder Robert Whittaker in action for the third time this year. After getting past Paulo Costa and Ikram Aliskerov, “The Reaper” is next tasked with blemishing the perfect record of Khamzat Chimaev.
Also set to make the walk on Saturday will be the likes of top light heavyweight contender Magomed Ankalaev, undefeated featherweight Lerone Murphy, middleweight prospect Shara Magomedov, and former UFC lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos.
Ahead of the event, you can get some help from the group of experts at MMA News by checking out their predictions for the UFC 308 main card here.
UFC 308: Topuria vs. Holloway Betting Odds
Listed below are the latest betting odds for UFC 308 (as of 10/25), courtesy of DraftKings.
Main Card:
Ilia Topuria (-230) vs. Max Holloway (+190)
Robert Whittaker (+190) vs. Khamzat Chimaev (-230)
Magomed Ankalaev (-375) vs. Aleksandar Rakić (+295)
Lerone Murphy (-265) vs. Dan Ige (+215)
Sharabutdin Magomedov (-170) vs. Armen Petrosyan (+142)
Preliminary Card:
Ibo Aslan (+105) vs. Raffael Cerqueira (-125)
Geoff Neal (-298) vs. Rafael dos Anjos (+240)
Mateusz Rębecki (+260) vs. Myktybek Orolbai (-325)
UFC light heavyweight contender Aleksandar Rakić believes upcoming opponent Magomed Ankalaev will be an easier puzzle to crack than his previous foe.
Rakić made his return from a lengthy stint on the sidelines this past April at UFC 300. In what marked his first outing since tearing his ACL opposite Jan Błachowicz at the Apex, the Austrian contender did battle with Jiří Procházka.
While “Rocket” got off to a strong start against the former champion, he faded in round two and was ultimately stopped by way of TKO inside T-Mobile Arena.
Despite that setback, Rakić has seemingly found himself in another title eliminator this weekend at UFC 308, where Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Arena will play host to his crucial clash opposite Ankalaev.
During his appearance at UFC 308 media day on Wednesday, Rakić previewed his second assignment of the year.
Interestingly, despite the Russian being labeled a nightmare opponent for striking specialists like Rakić, the 32-year-old Vienna native suggested that the Ankalaev matchup is more favorable for him than his UFC 300 task.
“What makes me really happy is that the UFC gave me Ankalaev,” Rakić said. “I honestly believe that if I didn’t put a good fight at UFC 300 — it doesn’t matter the result, I would never get that fight.
“When I got the fight against Ankalaev, the name, I immediately said yes because he’s number two-ranked behind Jiří Procházka, who lost twice to Pereira, so this is the best matchup for me,” he continued. “Stylistically, it’s going to be a better matchup for me than Jiří Procházka.”
Rakić will look to prove as much by getting the better of Ankalaev, who enters Saturday’s pay-per-view in the Middle East riding an unbeaten run stretching 12 fights and coming off a brutal knockout of Johnny Walker in this year’s very first main event.
Many will be expecting Ankalaev to come through yet another light heavyweight contender and continue to call for his shot, but Chael Sonnen believes some may be getting carried away…
Sonnen Warns Fans Not To Underestimate Rakić’s Chances Against Ankalaev
During a recent YouTube video, Sonnen spoke about what appears to be a number one contenders’ clash at 205 pounds that is set for October 26.
Not only were fans surprised to see Ankalaev not securing his date with the champion, many were puzzled by the decision to book him against Rakić. Whilst he is a top five contender in the division, he’s coming off of a loss in another title eliminator when he was stopped by Jiří Procházka at UFC 300.
Sonnen stated that although this could be the final hurdle for Ankalaev to overcome, it can’t be overlooked how big of an opportunity this is for his opponent.
“Ankalaev, clearly the number one contender, at least according to you guys. And you know what? I do have a little bit of a problem with that. I’s not a huge problem but I do have just a little one,” Sonnen said. “Which is Rakić is that damn good. You got to understand, Rakić did not get a world title fight — well neither did Ankalaev, but Rakić did find himself in the next best thing.
“He’s in a number one contenders’ match. That is quite literally the next best thing that you could get to a title fight and he found himself there coming off of a loss. As a matter of fact, he found himself there coming off of a stoppage loss. As a matter of fact, finding himself in this spot actually moves him in front of the guy that he suffered the loss to in Procházka,” Sonnen continued. “I’m only telling you this because that’s how good Rakić is and a lot of people have forgot.”
MMA reporter Ariel Helwani revealed today via his substack page that Jan Blachowicz has withdrawn from his March 26 bout against Aleksandar Rakić.
According to the Thursday report, the hope is to reschedule the bout for May. Former
Blachowicz’s reign at the top of the 205-pound mountain came to a crashing halt at UFC 267 in October. Having won the vacant title in memorable fashion against Dominick Reyes, and successfully defended it once by handing middleweight king Israel Adesanya his first loss in MMA, the Polish star faced the test of Glover Teixeira in Abu Dhabi.
At 42 years of age, it was the Brazilian’s final chance to have UFC gold wrapped around his waist. With a second-round rear-naked choke, Teixeira dethroned Blachowicz and did exactly that.
Given his prior form, which had seen him build a five-fight winning streak that dated back to a loss against Thiago Santos in 2019, many had expected Blachowicz to send Teixeira into retirement and move onto a European clash with Jiří Procházka. Having seen those plans collapse, the 38-year-old will be looking to rebound back to the belt in 2022.
During a recent appearance on Ariel Helwani’s The MMA Hour, Blachowicz discussed his plans for 2022, revealing his intentions of returning to the Octagon in the year’s first quarter and discussed a potential bout against Rakić.
“Yeah, it’s good fight, you know. He’s good, he’s strong, you know, young fighter. All fighters in the UFC, top 10, top five, you know, they are amazing fighters and (it’s a) pleasure for me to fight against all of them. Rakić is good for the next fight, but we will see.”
If this pivotal light heavyweight bout gets rescheduled or either fighter gets a new opponent, MMA News will bring you the scoop.
UFC light heavyweight contender Aleksandar Rakić took a subtle dig at former UFC fighter turned commentator Paul Felder on Twitter.
Rakić is set to face former light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz later this year in his return to the Octagon. He most recently defeated Thiago Santos and Anthony Smith in a pair of massive light heavyweight wins.
Rakić has never been afraid to speak his mind, especially when it comes to the UFC commentary team and their supposed bias. He most recently took a shot at Daniel Cormier after Dominick Cruz criticized his fight commentary leading up to UFC 269.
“Just say what you gotta say,” Felder said. “Is this a third-grade crush? Tell me you don’t like my commentary and I’ll tell you some of your fights suck.”
In a series of since-deleted tweets, Rakić said he tends to mute the UFC broadcasts when commentators such as Felder are at the desk. Felder took exception to this and even responded to Rakic in the middle of a fight card.
Rakić has emerged as one of the more outspoken light heavyweight contenders, as evidenced by his recent back-and-forths with Jiří Procházka. Rakić could get the next 205-pound title shot with another impressive win in the Octagon.
Felder also has a history of not letting trolls and critics go unchallenged. He’s notorious for putting harsh critics of his commentary on blast and often engages in Twitter back-and-forths.
What are your thoughts on the UFC commentary team?
UFC light heavyweight contender Jamahal Hill believes Aleksandar Rakić should be challenging champion Glover Teixeira next instead of Jiří Procházka.
While Rakić has been in the UFC since 2017, Procházka only arrived on MMA’s biggest stage last year. But in the short period of time he’s been a part of the promotion’s light heavyweight roster, “Denisa” has made a monumental impact, one that’s seen him surpass Rakić in the rankings.
In his debut, Procházka brutally knocked out former title challenger Volkan Oezdemir on Fight Island. Having broken onto the scene in impactful fashion, the Czech star went one step further in his second appearance, breaking into title contention with an even more vicious KO, this time against Dominick Reyes.
Not many people have secured a main event slot in just their sophomore outing, and even fewer have cemented their status as number one contender without even making three walks to the Octagon. But despite his impressive start in the UFC, not everyone believes he’s done enough to earn a spot at the front of the queue.
According to Hill, who is tipped as a future star at 205 pounds and currently sits at #12 in the rankings, Rakić deserves to be fighting for gold next over his European peer.
“I mean, both have a case, I guess. Me, personally, I think it should be Rakić, just because Rakić has been here longer,” Hill told The Hannibal TV. “Who’s had the most success at his weight? Who’s done the more things to put themselves into championship position? I think that’s Rakić. Jiří came in and beat two guys that were on losing streaks.”
Rakić Will Have To Go Through A Former Champion To Reach Gold
Since joining the UFC, Rakić has gone 6-1. However, most believe the Austrian should boast a perfect record in the promotion. His sole loss, a split decision defeat to Oezdemir in 2019, was highly controversial, and most believe he was the rightful winner.
Since that setback, “Rocket” has got back on track with consecutive successes against former title challengers Anthony Smith and Thiago Santos. In the eyes of many, those victories, coupled with his triumphs over the likes of Jimi Manuwa and Devin Clark, should have been enough to book him a date with the champion. That’s without even mentioning the suggestion that Procházka turned down offers to face the 29-year-old.
Instead, Rakić will have to go through former champion Jan Blachowicz if he is to earn a title shot in 2022. The Polish powerhouse was dethroned by Teixeira at UFC 267 and will be looking to secure a chance at redemption by stalling the charge of his fellow European.
The pair are set to headline the March 26 UFC Fight Night. The winner is expected to challenge the victor of the likely championship clash between Teixeira and Procházka.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CXWW0DMpUsz/
Do you agree with Jamahal Hill? Should Aleksandar Rakić be fighting for the title next instead of Jiří Procházka?
UFC light heavyweight contender Aleksandar Rakić feels that a battle in the Octagon between him and Jiří Procházka is inevitable.
Rakić and Procházka seemed as though they were on a collision course for months after the two of them have gone back-and-forth in the media. Rakić, in particular, has made his critical opinions of Procházka perfectly clear.
Rakic has accused Procházka of ducking him in the past and is doubling down on those claims as he gets ready for his next appearance in the Octagon. During an interview with MMA Junkie’s Farah Hannoun, Rakić reiterated what’s next for him and is temporarily closing the door on a fight with Procházka.
“Jiri, I cannot take this clown seriously you know. I don’t care about him. My focus is on Jan Blachowicz and on March 26 and I don’t care about this guy,” Rakić said. “I don’t care about him and this fake samurai sh*t that he’s doing and just focusing on Jan Blachowicz. My goal is to stay active and this was not so possible this year, but finally, I got the opportunity to fight again and that’s for the No. 1 contender to fight next for the belt.”
As stated above, Rakić will be facing former light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz on March 26. Meanwhile, Procházka is widely expected to fight the newly-crowned champion, Glover Teixeira at a later date. He most recently dispatched Dominick Reyes in a UFC main event earlier this year.
There’s clearly no love lost between Rakić and Procházka, and the two of them could meet sooner rather than later depending on how their next fights play out.
Who do you think would win in a bout between Aleksandar Rakić and Jiri Procházka?
Aleksandar Rakić Prepared For Everything With Jan Blachowicz
“I’m gonna be ready to wrestle 25 minutes, I’m gonna be ready to grapple or to strike against him,” Rakić said. “It depends what Jan is gonna give me. This I’m gonna see in the first minutes or the first round or the second round. I’m gonna be prepared for everything, and I know for myself, I’m improving all of the aspects of the fight.
“I want to be the next Georges St-Pierre, to be the most well-rounded fighter in the UFC roster in the light heavyweight division, and I’m in a good way for doing that.”
Rakić is coming off of back-to-back wins over Thiago Santos and Anthony Smith. The 29-year-old light heavyweight contender has burst into title contention since making his UFC debut back in 2017.
Living up to the wrestling prowess of Georges St-Pierre will not be an easy task for Rakić. St-Pierre is widely regarded as one of the greatest UFC fighters of all time and one of the best grapplers in the sport’s history.
However, one thing is clear when it comes to evaluating Rakić’s potential: he’s aiming to be one of the best light heavyweights in the sport. If he’s able to put on another impressive performance against Blachowicz, fans will start taking more notice of his wide-ranging skill set.
What is your prediction for Aleksandar Rakić vs. Jan Blachowicz?
UFC light heavyweight contender Aleksandar Rakić believes he’s “much hungrier” than his upcoming opponent and former champion Jan Blachowicz.
Rakić has spent much longer on the sidelines than he wanted, but it appears he’ll finally have the chance to secure number one contender status when he returns to action in the first quarter of 2022. The Austrian last entered the Octagon at UFC 259 in March, where he defeated former title challenger Thiago Santos by way of a unanimous decision.
Following the announcement, Rakić spoke to MMA News’ James Lynch to discuss his upcoming fight with the Polish behemoth, his rivalry with Czech knockout artist Jiří Procházka, his experience training with Khamzat Chimaev, and his feud with former opponent Smith.
Rakić Targets Title Shot By Slaying A Former Champion
While Rakić has certainly been impressive in his UFC tenure to date, which most believe should see him unbeaten at 7-0 given the controversial nature of his split decision loss to Volkan Oezdemir, Blachowicz will be no easy path to go through to reach the top step at 205 pounds.
Rakić told MMA News he’s expecting a motivated Blachowicz come March 26. However, given the fact he’s yet to feel what it’s like to sit on the top step, “Rocket” believes he’ll be “much hungrier” when the pair enter the cage together.
“I’m thinking that he’s gonna come with the extra motivation to our fight and to be a better version, you know. To beat a guy even more hungry than before and more willing to get the belt back, it’s gonna be awesome. He was already on the top, he knows how it feels. I was never on the top and I was never a champion. So I am much hungrier than him, that I can say.”
Nevertheless, Rakić acknowledges the challenge he has in front of him. Hailing from a central European country himself, the 29-year-old is aware of the toughness Blachowicz has inside him. With that in mind, the Austrian will be preparing for war as he looks to secure a title shot for later in the year.
“I have a great team and we’ve been watching Jan for a while now… He’s a tough guy. He’s from Poland; from this area, guys are really tough. He’s coming not to lose, he’s coming for everything. But I am from the same area. I’m the same…I’m gonna be right on point on the 26th of March to get the W and to secure my title shot.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/CXWW0DMpUsz/
With Teixeira and Procházka expected to collide for the gold in the second quarter of 2022, likely April or May, according to the Brazilian, it stands to reason the winner of Rakić vs Blachowicz will be fighting the champ in the back end of 2022.
Who do you think will have their hand raised in the March 26 UFC Fight Night main event, Aleksandar Rakić or Jan Blachowicz?
UFC light heavyweight Aleksandar Rakić has a pretty stern message for fellow contender and former opponent Anthony Smith.
Rakić, who currently sits at #3 in the 205-pound rankings, defeated Smith in a UFC Fight Night main event last August. After following that win with a victory over Thiago Santos at UFC 259 earlier this year, “Rocket” firmly entered the title conversation.
Following the announcement, Rakić spoke to MMA News’ James Lynch to discuss his upcoming fight with the Polish behemoth, his rivalry with Czech knockout artist Jiří Procházka, his experience training with Khamzat Chimaev, and his feud with former opponent Smith.
Since falling to Rakić last year, Smith has been back to his best, collecting submission victories over Devin Clark and Ryan Spann, and a TKO over Jimmy Crute. Following his triumph over “Superman” Spann in a September main event, “Lionheart” made it clear he wanted to run it back with Rakić.
After the European star accepted the challenge in minutes, it appeared the pair could be set for a second Octagon meeting this month. Given his already-longer-than-desired layoff, it was no surprise to see “Rocket” eager to fit a second fight into 2021. But Rakić’s wish to be booked opposite Smith in the December 18 main event wasn’t granted.
The matchup collapsed after a knee injury ruled Smith out for the rest of the year. Despite that, “Lionheart” hasn’t shied away from giving his two cents on the current light heavyweight landscape. From expressing his worry over getting “left in the cold” at 205 pounds to suggesting it “would suck” to see Rakić given the Blachowicz fight, the former title challenger isn’t letting his time on the sidelines be a quiet period.
That’s seemingly infuriating for Rakić, who appears to be sick of hearing the sound of his light heavyweight peer’s voice. The Austrian addressed Smith’s comments in his interview with MMA News, and in much harsher terms, asked him to zip it.
“I mean, he was challenging me after his last fight. I immediately said yes for December, and this guy couldn’t make it. He’s injured, you know, and he’s now talking behind screens and behind the phones, and talking and talking, and saying, ‘This (is) hurting my feelings, that I can see that Rakić is gonna fight Blachowicz.’ I don’t care about him and his feelings.
“Why weren’t you ready? Shut the fuck up, get healthy, win another fight, and then we’re gonna talk. That’s it. I have nothing to say about him… I respect this guy. I think he won three after our fight. I respect him as a martial artist. But he is talking too much and I don’t like that,” Rakić told MMA News.
UFC Fight Night: Rakić vs. Blachowicz
Rakić will look to put Smith to the back of his mind in the coming weeks as he prepares for perhaps the most important fight of his career. In his second UFC main event, the 29-year-old will be looking to stake his claim for a shot at gold, which is currently held by veteran Glover Teixeira.
But in his way will be a tough man with a point to prove. Blachowicz held the light heavyweight title for over a year until dropping it to Teixeira in the UFC 267 main event a couple of months ago. Prior to his upset defeat to the Brazilian, the Pole defended the strap by handing middleweight king Israel Adesanya his first setback in professional MMA.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CXWW0DMpUsz/
While Blachowicz will be looking to rebound and make his way back towards the belt, possibly for redemption against Teixeira should he defend the gold against Procházka, Rakić will aim to scale the 205-pound mountain for the first time in 2022, a journey that must go through Blachowicz on March 26.
Who do you think will emerge victorious in the March 26 main event, Aleksandar Rakić or Jan Blachowicz?
Anthony Smith has a few issues with the status of the light heavyweight division.
There is a new champion at the top of the UFC light heavyweight division and that has shaken up the top five. With Glover Teixeira now holding the belt that frees up former champ Jan Blachowicz. There are a few possibilities for Blachowicz but he has mentioned wanting contender Aleksander Rakic next. With Jiri Prochazka most likely next for the champ, this might leave Anthony Smith on the outside looking in.
“I’m afraid because I’m indifferent [about who I fight next], I’m going to get left out in the cold,” Smith said. “It would be a real sh*tty deal if Jiri Prochazka gets the title shot and then Rakic and Blachowicz fight each other and that kind of leaves me sitting out with my hands out.”
“Listen, I’ve got a lot of respect for Aleksandar Rakic and what he’s done and I have a lot of respect for his skills and abilities, but he’s not that well-liked,” Smith explained. “He’s not the UFC’s favorite guy. Beating him is kind of its own reward, personally. Because I’m not sure how highly people, the powers-that-be, would look upon that win. Because he’s not super exciting for as big as an athlete as he is, and impressive as his physique is, he doesn’t fight like that. So he doesn’t have a fan appealing style.”
Smith is getting call-outs as well, but maybe not the ones he wants. He is a former title challenger and with one more big win could be right back in line to challenge for the belt again.
Who do you think Anthony Smith should face in his next UFC bout?
