Alex Pereira has become one of the biggest names in combat sports. ‘Poatan’ has already built a Hall of Fame UFC resume in just two and a half years. The light heavyweight division is in awe of the Brazilian’s striking prowess, except for Magomed Ankalaev, the second-ranked light heavyweight.
Ankalaev, unbeaten in the past 12 UFC fights, with his only defeat in professional MMA being a last-minute submission loss to Paul Craig, seems to have a different opinion about the current light heavyweight UFC champion. The 32-year-old recently made some bizarre claims and promises in an interview.
Ankalaev Points Out Flaws in Pereira’s Standup, Targets UFC Belt
In an exclusive interview with MMAJunkie’s Mike Bohn, the Russian fighter discussed various topics, mainly the state of the light heavyweight division. Ankalaev seems to believe he will bag the next title shot, as all other top-five contenders are coming off losses.
Surprisingly, the Russian fighter seemed to believe Alex Pereira has an overrated standup game. “I think overall his standup is overrated… He’s lucky he didn’t face a serious opposition. [My] wrestling is there but I’m ready to fight with him standing up to test him out,” said Ankalaev.
However, he admitted that Pereira was a great striker but felt that Brazilain’s forward movement was wrong. Moreover, Akhmat FC Light Heavyweight Grand Prix stated he ‘might catch’ the champion with a shot and potentially finish him.
“There’s a strategy we have if we’re gonna do striking but also if we add wrestling here I think he doesn’t stand a chance. I have a few potential options to finish him,” Ankalaev boldly claimed. The 32-year-old had already pestered the Brazilian on X, promising a standup game.
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Surprisingly, Pereira and Ankalaev have the same number of KO/TKO finishes in the UFC. Moreover, the Dagestan native is a betting favorite over the Brazilian champion. Ideally, the challenger wants to fight at UFC 308 in Abu Dhabi in October.
However, with Islam Makhachev likely to headline the PPV against Arman Tsarukyan, the promotion won’t likely put Pereira in the co-main event. With the promotion already having headliners ready from UFC 304 to UFC 309, UFC 310 seems ideal for Pereira vs. Ankalaev.
Also Read UFC 303: Magomed Ankalaev Drops Bombshell Prediction on Alex Pereira vs. Jiri Prochazka Fight!
