Magomed Ankalaev wants top-five opponent following sixth win in a row at UFC Vegas 20

UFC light heavyweight contender Magomed Ankalaev wants to get a top-five opponent after picking up six sixth straight win at UFC Vegas 20.

Ankalaev defeated Nikita Krylov via unanimous decision in the co-main event of Saturday’s UFC Vegas 20 card. Although he wasn’t able to get the finish, Ankalaev was mostly able to impose his will in the striking and wrestling following a quick start by Krylov. It was a solid performance by Ankalaev, who figures to take over Krylov’s No. 8 spot in the UFC light heavyweight rankings. Ankalaev is 6-1 overall in the UFC and has won his six fights in a row. He appears to be a serious contender and in a wide-open division, is likely only one or two more wins away from getting a title shot at 205lbs.

Speaking to reporters following UFC Vegas 20, Ankalaev wouldn’t call out a specific name but he said he wants to fight someone ranked in the top-five his next time out.

“(Krylov) wasn’t my ideal opponent because I was expecting someone higher up in my division. But right now, the top five or six fighters in my division, they have fights scheduled. Depending on who wins, I’m hoping to pick an opponent among those winners,” Ankalaev said.

UFC light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz takes on challenger Israel Adesanya in the main event of next month’s UFC 259, with Glover Teixeira waiting in the wings for the winner. Elsewhere in the top-five, you have Thiago Santos taking on Aleksandar Rakic and Jiri Prochazka fighting Dominick Reyes. So Ankalaev is likely going to have to wait and see what happens in those fights before he gets his next assignment. Someone such as Volkan Oezdemir, who is ranked No. 7 at 205lbs, could also make sense for Ankalaev.

Who do you want to see Magomed Ankalaev fight after beating Nikita Krylov at UFC Vegas 20?