In the world of mixed martial arts and the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), the name Bogdan Guskov represents the spirit of an underdog fighter striving to make his mark among the elite. Hailing originally from Uzbekistan but fighting out of Russia, Guskov has slowly but surely carved out a reputation as a dangerous knockout artist within the talent-rich light heavyweight division.
As Guskov rises up the ranks towards title contention in the UFC, his journey epitomizes the dedication and perseverance required to thrive in the fight game against all odds.
Early Life and Entry into Combat Sports
Bogdan Guskov was born in 1991 in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan. From a young age, he gravitated towards combat and self-defense, before migrating in his youth to Moscow, Russia to pursue new opportunities.
Inspired by Russian MMA legend Fedor Emelianenko, Guskov began training in various fighting disciplines while working a night job as a security guard to support himself. He slowly established himself on the regional fight circuit around Moscow and leaned towards a striking-oriented, crowd-pleasing style built around explosive knockouts.
"I‘ve always loved the striking arts. As a fighter, I want to give fans dramatic finishes and electrifying knockouts – it’s my passion."
In 2015, Guskov decided to turn professional and made his debut in a regional promotion around Moscow.
Early Professional Career: 2015-2018
The early stages of Guskov’s professional MMA career proved to be a steep learning curve. As he built his record in various Russian promotions, Guskov had to overcome several obstacles along the way.
Making the weight cut down to 205lbs frequently proved challenging early on. To maintain his power and strength while cutting weight, Guskov often ended up dehydrating himself to the extreme leading up to fights. This in turn impacted his conditioning and durability later in bouts.
Guskov also had to balance training with working full-time running his own security company, leaving him somewhat depleted during competitions. Nonetheless, he persevered through ups and downs during this transitional phase of his career.
A six fight winning streak was finally capped off by a career-changing clash – a fight against Russian prospect Sergei Vasilevsky:
"The war with Vasilevksy was a turning point for me. Going five tough rounds showed myself I belong at this elite level, giving me huge confidence for bigger fights ahead."
That gritty, back-and-forth battle announced Guskov‘s arrival as a serious up-and-comer and set the stage for a move to the highest level soon after.
Guskov (red gloves) trades strikes with Vasilevsky in their 2018 fight
The Call from the Big Leagues: Signing with the UFC
On the back of the momentum gained from wins over solid opposition in Russia, Bogdan Guskov received life-changing news in 2019. The UFC, globally recognized as the apex of MMA competition, offered Guskov a multi-fight contract – an opportunity he immediately jumped on.
Moving to the UFC meant consistently facing the best light heavyweights on earth. For his debut, Guskov was tasked with England‘s Jimi Manuwa, a knockout artist with devastating one-punch power. It was a stiff test, but one the Uzbek born striker rose to by stopping Manuwa inside two rounds of action:
Guskov finishes Manuwa in his UFC debut
With his striking prowess and dynamite power getting recognition from fans globally, Guskov strung together three wins in a row to insert his name among the top 10 ranked light heavyweights in the UFC.
More spectacular knockouts followed against the likes of Nikita Krylov and Johnny Walker as Guskov’s popularity grew. However, a decision loss set back some of that momentum late last year.
Now preparing to face dangerous Russian striker Maxim Grishin at UFC 305 in April, Guskov is laser focused on releasing the "knockout king" within and working his way into title contention after shedding the first defeat of his UFC campaign.
"The loss motivates me greatly for next bout with Grishin at UFC 305. I must release inner ‘knockout king mentality’ and prove why fans call me an exotic striker who is always showman inside octagon."
The Ozone MMA Team: Support System Behind Guskov’s Rise
As with any successful fighter, the team and support structure around them plays a pivotal role during their rise to prominence. For Bogdan Guskov, the Ozone MMA gym in Moscow has been foundational in getting him to the big leagues.
Now serving as the head coach of Ozone MMA, decorated kickboxer Artem Osypenko has sharpened Guskov’s already dangerous striking arsenal with next level technical training. His guidance on the feet has turned the Uzbek brawler into a truly elite striker since joining the UFC roster.
Even towards the early phase of his career, Guskov points out the importance of having a consistent group around supporting his Growth:
"The support is most important. At my gym training, always five or six peoples are they‘re every session for nine or ten years supporting me."
With the infrastructure available at major UFC facilities like the Performance Institute, Guskov aims to evolve into a truly complete fighter by patching up perceived holes in his wrestling and defensive grappling skill set.
The continuous evolution of his fight game under coach Osypenko and with support from his team will be crucial towards maximizing his world class talents inside the octagon.
Representing His Roots: Fighting for Uzbekistan
Despite spending his career based mostly out of Russia, Bogdan Guskov takes immense pride in representing Uzbekistan every time he steps into battle. With Uzbek fight sports enjoying a major growth phase, Guskov wants to inspire the next generation of young Central Asian athletes dreaming of making it to the highest levels one day.
However, asexemplified by stablemate Muhammad Mokaev currently struggling to gain his UK citizenship, being an elite fighter without the backing of citizenship from a developed nation continues to pose unique challenges.
Despite facing struggles obtaining visas to train at destinations like the United States, Guskov persists forward while proudly carrying the Uzbek flag forward into every battle. With the support structure produced by his team in Russia, he believes that is enough fuel to achieve his ultimate dream.
"My dream is to bring UFC championship belt to my homeland of Uzbekistan – to inspire the youth that if I can do it, they can also achieve greatness one day."
The Knockout King – Planning the Road Ahead
As he approaches his athletic prime at 31 years of age, Bogdan Guskov has plenty of ambitious plans lined up for the foreseeable future. Never one to shy away from a challenge or back down from a tough opponent, Guskov always looks for fights that interest him rather than chasing name value and rankings alone:
“Many fighters become obsessed with title shots and rankings. For me, priorities are having fans entertained and testing myself against worthy challengers who can push me.”
Nonetheless, with a couple decisive wins against top ranked light heavyweights over the next year, Guskov envisions finally getting the chance to compete for UFC gold.
From a sporting perspective as well, there is still much room for the battle-tested striker to improve. Shoring up holes in his defensive wrestling and conditioning can make Guskov an even more fearsome force to be reckoned with.
Bogdan Guskov’s eight year journey from regional Russian events towards becoming a top 10 ranked UFC light heavyweight is nothing short of remarkable. The exciting knockout artist has captured the imagination of fans globally with his seek-and-destroy fight style and warrior spirit.
As Guskov continues his quest to bring a UFC title back home to inspire Uzbek youth to achieve their combat sports dreams, brighter days surely await this dynamic fighter who embodies both resilience and entertainment every time he steps foot inside the octagon.