UFC on ESPN+ 27: Ion Cutelaba unconvinced Magomed Ankalaev lands a single kick

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – Ion Cutelaba recognizes the kick-heavy offense Magomed Ankalaev will likely bring when the two light heavyweights step in the cage Saturday at UFC on ESPN+ 27.

Ankalaev (12-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC) is the only fighter in UFC history to have more than one kick-related knockout in the promotion’s history. Both Marcin Prachnio and Dalcha Lungiambula have fallen victim to vicious Ankalaev head kicks in the UFC, but Cutelaba (15-4 MMA, 4-3 UFC) doesn’t think he’ll follow suit.

In fact, Cutelaba sees a scenario in which Ankalaev doesn’t land a single kick, he told MMA Junkie at a pre-fight media day on Thursday. Cutelaba has never been finished with strikes in his professional MMA career. If he has his way, he’ll keep it that way.

“I think the kicks he throws in the last fight were (mostly) leg kicks,” Cutelaba said. “I’m prepared 100 percent for this and it’s not going to work (his kicks) in front of me. We will see if he even will have enough time to throw this kick before I knock him out.”

Despite his opponent’s hype, Cutelaba said he’ll finish the fight Saturday. When the cage door closes and the two fighters square off, all outside opinions will become irrelevant, Cutelaba said.

“I’m ready, like always, to knock people out,” Cutelaba said. “I’m ready to show everyone and to show my fans I’m ready for everything – not just for a knockout. I’m ready for anything everywhere to get the victory.

“I don’t care what (hype) he has right now (or) if he’s from Russia, from Dagestan. When the cage door is closed, he’s in there just with me, not with somebody else. I’m going to be in the cage with him. That’s it. I know what I have to do. I don’t care about who’s around him or what people thinks.”

UFC on ESPN+ 27 takes place Saturday at Chartway Arena in Norfolk, Va. The card streams on ESPN+.

Check out Ion Cutelaba’s full UFC on ESPN+ 27 pre-fight media scrum in the video above.