Magomed Ankalaev has been waiting to lay his hands on the UFC light heavyweight title for a long time. After Alex Pereira defeated Jiri Prochazka with a thundering head kick, it was expected that the next in line was Ankalaev. Shockingly, Dana White announced Khalil Rountree Jr. as his next opponent, while Ankalaev was pitted against Aleksandar Rakic. Now that both the fighters have won their respective matches, a fight between the duo is looking likely.
However, in a recent statement, Alex Pereira hinted that he might not be facing the Russian fighter next. And while this created a buzz among the UFC realm, things might not be that complicated. In a recent interview with MMA Junkie, Magomed Ankalaev’s manager, Ali Abdelaziz stated that the match will surely happen.
“But the only thing that’s going to matter – him and Ankalaev are going to be locked in a cage… Alex Pereira is fighting Magomed Ankalaev next. The UFC – everything can be maneuvered, get delayed. In the UFC, the best fight with the best. There’s not too much politics in the UFC,” said Abdelaziz.
Abdelaziz also stated that Poatan might be toying around with Ankalaev. Afterall, he has defended his title thrice in a span of 167 days. So he has the leverage to say what he wants. However, Abdelaziz is also quite certain that given the bout materializes, it will be the Russian who will emerge victorious.
Ali Abdelaziz Rings The Warning Bell For Alex Pereira
Speaking on the same podcast, Ali Abdelaziz stated that his client will look to knock out Pereira. Now, this is quite a bold claim to make. Afterall, who would forget the punch fest he had with Rountree Jr.? Yet, speaking about Anakalaev, Abdelaziz looked utterly confident.
“Ankalaev, what he told me, he said, ‘I’m not wrestling with [Pereira]. I’m gonna shw everybody. Izzy can’t even wash my boots in striking. I’m gonna knock Alex Pereira out,” Abdelaziz said.
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Thus, with things looking interesting, it remains to be seen whether Ankalaev can keep his promise. But before that, Dana White would need to make the match between the duo official.
