Ankalaev breaks his silence and apologizes after suffering a tough loss to Poatan at UFC 320.

Magomed Ankalayev was knocked out by Alex Poatán No. UFC 320. Photo: Reproduction/UFC

Former light heavyweight champion (up to 93kg), Magomed Ankalev suffered a tough defeat in his first title defense attempt at UFC 320Despite being considered the overwhelming favorite to win Alex Poatán, the Russian was unsuccessful in dealing with the strategy applied by his rival and ended up being knocked out in less than two minutes.

With no time to waste, Ankalaev took to social media to send a message to his fans and thank those who supported him. A Muslim, the Russian used his faith to stay optimistic amid a difficult time in his career.

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"If Allah tested me with defeat, then He wants to harden me. I bow to His will, but not to hardship. To those who stayed, thank you. To those who came, thank you too. After all, Allah opens the way not only for weakness, but also for unnecessary people," Ankalaev declared on his official Instagram account.

Alex Poatán in the final moments of the fight against Magomed Ankalayev. Photo: Reproduction/UFC

In response to the post, fans were divided in expressing their feelings for the former division king. Many sent positive messages, while others mocked the athlete's situation.

Defeated for the second time in his career, Ankalaev now faces another setback. The first occurred in his UFC debut, when he faced Paul Craig and ended up being finished in the last second of the fight.