The UFC has elected to run back one of the most controversial fights of the year, as light heavyweights Magomed Ankalaev and Ion Cutelaba will meet for the second time at UFC 249.
Contracts have not been signed, but the UFC is in the process of finalizing the matchup, per sources. The 205-pound fight will take place at UFC 249 on April 18 inside Brooklyn’s Barclays Center.
The two just met at UFC Fight Night last weekend in Norfolk, Virginia, where Ankalaev (13-1) recorded a first-round knockout just 38 seconds into the fight. Referee Kevin MacDonald called a stop to the bout over concern for Cutelaba, who appeared to be hurt by a head kick.
Cutelaba (15-5) immediately protested the stoppage, however, and replays clearly showed he had blocked all of Ankalaev’s kicks. He was actually in the process of swinging his own counter right hand when MacDonald stepped in. Cutelaba later told ESPN it was in his strategy to make Ankalaev think he was hurt worse than he was.
Cutelaba has promised to appeal the result of the fight and called for a rematch immediately. Ankalaev said he was open to the idea.
Once finalized, the rematch will join a card that is headlined by a lightweight title fight between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson.