Magomed Ankalaev Predicts UFC 320 Rematch With Alex Pereira Will Be Much Easier

Ahead of their first title clash at UFC 313, most fans and analysts predicted a rough night for Magomed Ankalaev because of Alex Pereira’s concussive knockout power. After all, ‘Poatan’ had been on a historic run since winning the 205 lbs title at UFC 295. In just 175 days, which is a UFC record, the Brazilian scored three straight finishes, defending his belt against Jamahal Hill, Jiri Prochazka, and Khalil Rountree Jr. But that dominant reign came to an end against ‘Big Ank.’

It is safe to say that Ankalaev was widely considered Pereira’s toughest stylistic challenge yet, thanks to his elite wrestling and sambo background. Still, ‘Poatan’ didn’t seem fazed, making what Joe Rogan called the greatest walkout in the sport before stepping into the Octagon. However, the bout was something no one anticipated. 

Magomed Ankalaev Confident of Toppling Alex Pereira as Talk of a Khamzat Chimaev Superfight Heats Up

The fight saw Magomed Ankalaev neutralize Pereira’s offense by relentlessly shooting for takedowns. Although the Brazilian impressively stuffed all 12 of the Dagestani’s attempts, the constant pressure kept him from finding his rhythm and landing his trademark counter shots. Surprisingly, it was Ankalaev who found more success on the feet, even dropping the former two-division champion at the end of the second round. 

Coupled with sharp defensive work along the cage, his calculated game plan paid off. In the end, the judges scored the bout unanimously for Ankalaev, two cards at 48-47 and one at 49-46, marking the end of his dominant reign after three successful title defenses. And with the duo set for an immediate rematch at UFC 320 in October, ‘Big Ank’ has made a bold prediction ahead of the fight. 

Ankalaev believes the rematch with Pereira will be a far smoother outing than their first encounter. “I think the rematch will be much easier than the first fight since the statistics show that it’s always very dangerous to get a rematch with me. I believe we’ll confirm once again that you should not step into a rematch with me,” Ankalaev said in an interview with Ushatayka.

For context, Pereira later revealed that he was dealing with both illness and injuries leading up to his UFC 313 loss. Ankalaev, however, is determined to leave no doubt this time.

The reigning 205lbs kingpin added, “I will do everything to dominate. If we have to strike, we’ll strike. If we have to wrestle, we’ll wrestle. I don’t think we’ll have any problems anywhere. I want him to approach this fight 100 percent ready so that he doesn’t have any excuses like the last fight, that he wasn’t prepared.”

ALSO READ: Dricus Du Plessis Issues First Statement Since UFC 319 Title Loss to Khamzat Chimaev

 

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Apart from this, Ankalaev congratulated his fellow Caucasian kingpin in the form of Khamzat Chimaev, who recently dethroned Dricus Du Plessis to become the middleweight champion at UFC 319. He said, “I congratulate Khamzat on his victory. He proved how powerful he is and showed that he can dominate top guys strongly for five rounds.”  

However, the Dagestani was also open to challenging himself against the Chechen kingpin. If he could outlast Pereira in their rematch, things could get a lot interesting. 

“I’m still in this division,” Ankalaev said. “If someone wants to move up and test my weight class, I always say ‘welcome.’ If he moves up, he moves up. No problem.”

 

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This development is especially intriguing given Chimaev’s recent ambition to become the first three-division champion in UFC history, targeting more gold at 170 lbs and 205 lbs. Adding fuel to the conversation, Georges St-Pierre’s former coach, Firas Zahabi, has even backed Chimaev to dethrone light heavyweights like Ankalaev and Pereira with ease. 

For now, though, Chimaev has his hands full with a wave of hungry contenders at middleweight, including Nassourdine Imavov, Caio Barralho, and Reinier de Ridder, all vying for their shot. Still, a future move to 205 lbs and a bout with either Alex Pereira or Magomed Ankalaev is still possible.