What happened: Daniel Cormier backed Magomed Ankalaev's case for a title shot after his UFC Abu Dhabi victory. Ankalaev submitted Bogdan Guskov at 2:41 of the fifth round in the Etihad Arena main event.

Why it matters: The win returned the former champion to contention after he lost the belt in his previous fight. Cormier's endorsement adds a prominent voice to the debate but carries no matchmaking guarantee.

What to watch: UFC matchmaking will determine whether Ankalaev advances directly to a title fight or faces another contender first.