Magomed Ankalaev vs. Ion Cutelaba rematch targeted for UFC 252

The UFC has a new date for the rematch between Magomed Ankalaev and Ion Cutelaba, multiple sources told MMA Fighting.

Ankalaev vs. “The Hulk” is in the works for UFC 252, a pay-per-view event scheduled for Aug. 15. The company has yet to officially announce the location for the card, but it’s expected to go down in the United States.

The first fight took place in February and lasted only 38 seconds. Ankalaev won by TKO, but Cutelaba’s team complained it was an early stoppage. An appeal was denied by the Virginia commission.

Ankalaev and Cutelaba agreed to rematch at UFC 249 on April 18, but the event was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. Cutelaba was then paired up with Ovince Saint Preux for the next weekend, but that event also never happened.

Cutelaba (15-5, 1 no-contest) is 4-4 under the UFC banner, a record that includes a knockout over Khalil Rountree and a 22-second finish over Luis Henrique da Silva.

Ankalaev (13-1) has now won four in a row since Sept. 2018, including stoppages over Marcin Prachnio and Dalcha Lungiambula. The only loss in his MMA career was a last-second submission to Paul Craig in his octagon debut in March 2018.

UFC 252 will be headlined by a trilogy bout between heavyweight king Stipe Miocic and former two-division champion Daniel Cormier. The card currently includes Livinha Souza vs. Ashley Yoder and Felice Herrig vs. Virna Jandiroba.