Light heavyweight standout Bogdan Guskov means business every time he steps up to do battle inside the Octagon. Hailing from Dukent, Uzbekistan, Guskov is the archetype of a classic no-frills martial artist driven solely by a yearning for competition. At 1-1 inside the Ultimate Fighting Championship, the 31-year-old will take on Ryan Spann in the UFC on ESPN 55 co-main event this Saturday in Las Vegas.
1. Martial arts appealed to him early in life.
In line with several MMA practitioners, Guskov started training at the age of 8 in order to be able to defend himself. Speaking in an interview with UFC.com, he claimed that over and above that, he also strived to master the skills to defend his family. Plus, he claims to be a pure adrenaline junkie and thrives in high-risk endeavors. Competing in MMA served as the perfect release for this emotion and he aims for his performances to manifest this raw primal spirit.
2. He checks a lot of boxes.
Guskov is a man of multifarious achievements. He has been tempered in battle and seasoned in competition. He has been granted the of Master of Sports designation in boxing and in MMA. Besides that, he was a K-1 silver medalist in Moscow and reigned as the MMA champion in Uzbekistan. In addition, Guskov holds the rank of Brazilian jiu-jitsu brown belt and was a former national champion in kickboxing.
3. He sees the UFC as the fulfillment of a lifelong dream.
Being part of the UFC roster and having the opportunity to compete against some of the best fighters in the game “means the world” to Guskov. The way he sees it, this moment in time feels like the exemplification of a lifetime’s worth of effort and commitment. “I trained for this moment and now I get to showcase my talent in front of the whole world on the biggest platform that is available in the world of fighting,” he said. “UFC is my chance to show the world who I am.”
4. Pursuits away from fighting occupy his free time.
It is a widely accepted reality that many fighters must engage in odd jobs or one-off tasks to make ends meet before they can commit to full-time competition. Guskov claims to have earned a bachelor’s degree in a still-unnamed field of study and also considers himself a professional welder—a job he might have picked up while tracking down his MMA goals.
5. His skills have served him outside the cage.
Before he started fighting, Guskov put his martial arts knowledge into practice as a bouncer for a club. After making his professional debut in 2015, he went on a 2-1 run before posting a solid eight-fight winning streak, with all eight of those victories having resulted in finishes. He boasts an 87% knockout rate and has also submitted two opponents.