Ankalaev In October? ‘I Want To Fight Sooner’
If Ankalaev wants a shot at Pereira, he’ll have to do it on the champion’s schedule. And “Poatan” wants to fight again as soon as injuries will allow him.
UFC Light Heavyweight champion, Alex Pereira, has no interest in fighting Magomed Ankalaev ... in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
“Poatan” recently sparked Jamahal Hill early into their UFC 300 main event earlier this month (watch highlights), and had hoped to make a quick turnaround at UFC 301 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. But, that plan is officially scrapped after Pereira broke a toe in training, and then another toe during the fight with Hill.
It’s not like Dana White was excited about the idea, anyway.
“I was imagining the best-case scenario, but I have two broken toes,” he said on Trocacao Franca podcast. “Both feet are f—ed.”
That seemed like good news for 205-pound contender, Magomed Ankalaev, who invited Pereira to come fight him in Abu Dhabi for UFC’s annual October show. But, Pereira is trying to leverage his championship clout to ensure that doesn’t happen.
“I don’t want to fight at the end of the year, I want to fight sooner,” Pereira said. “So, maybe that shows [Ankalaev] won’t be ready. I don’t know why he said that, this guy is complicated.”
Ankalaev certainly doesn’t fight as often as Pereira. Since the end of 2022, the Dagestani Light Heavyweight has fought twice. Pereira, meanwhile, has competed four times. And he’s clearly itching to fight again the moment his toes heal up.
“Honestly, I have to see what’s best,” Pereira concluded. “I’m here to fight, but I don’t understand best about other things like where is best [to fight] and where isn’t. If I have to fight there, I will, but if it’s not a date I want, then it’s not best for me. I can say, ‘No.’”
With Jan Blachowicz slowly recovering from shoulder surgery, Ankalaev is the last remaining Top 5-ranked contender left for Pereira to face. He’s got the grappling skills to beat Pereira, according to some. So, now we just have to wait and see when the fight can be made.
To checkout UFC’s upcoming schedule of events click here.