BOGDAN’S UP FOR A DOUBLE DATE
BOGDAN GUSKOV is up for a doppelganger banger after clobbering his way into the light-heavyweight rankings inside three fights.
The 31-year-old produced his best display to date at the Apex in Las Vegas as he KO’d Ryan Spann with a succession of concussive strikes in round two.
The Uzbekistan bomber has been earmarked for big things by UFC management and has been quickly matched up against some of the 205lb division’s top talent.
Having dispatched No.11ranked Spann, Guskov will break into the top 15, while also breaking new ground for his homeland.
He said: “If I go into the top 15, I will be the first fighter from Uzbekistan to go in, which makes me very happy. It will be history.
“I have fought three times and all against ranked guys.
Now I want to recover and rest a little bit, but after I want to go to the top, to the title maybe.
“I have tried to put on a big show every time, not boring fights. I don’t grapple much, I love the blood and the show.”
However, to get in title contention Guskov is likely to have to get past Anthony Smith, which is guaranteed to leave fans, rather than his opponents for a change, seeing double.
Smith, who faces Vitor Petrino at UFC 301 this weekend, is a dead ringer for ‘Czarevitch’ and the mirror images even enjoyed some light sparring recently.
Anticipating a battle of the Knuckle Brothers, which should be a backand-forth, to me, to youstyle match-up, Guskov added: “He is a very good guy. He has a very beautiful face I think!
“I work a little bit with him, only touching, like friendly sparring. It was a good experience.
“Maybe in the future (we will fight). If this fight is interesting for the UFC, let’s do it. I am ready.”