Alex Pereira alerted as Magomed Ankalaev ropes in heavyweight monster for UFC 313 camp
Magomed Ankalaev trains with technical striker Alexander Volkov before the UFC 313 title clash against Alex Pereira.
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Magomed Ankalaev trains with Alexander Volkov before UFC 313 challenge vs. Alex Pereira (Source: IMAGO/X)
Heavy is the head that goes for and wears the crown. Heavy will be the hand that punctuates a knockout and gets to the crown! That’s the message light heavyweight title challenger Magomed Ankalaev has for Alex Pereira. To that end, he has deployed heavyweight Alexander Volkov as a training partner. ‘Poatan’ and Ankalaev meet atop the UFC 313 PPV card next month.
Alex “Poatan” Pereira has a unique 2024 run with triple KO title defenses in short intervals. His three most recent victims are Jamahal Hill, Jiri Prochazka, and Khalil Rountree. A bold Magomed Ankalaev has already touted to finish the UFC light heavyweight champ in his standup game and no takedowns. Now, he is drilling with Alexander Volkov before UFC 313.
Magomed Ankalaev is unbeaten in his past 13 outings. He secured his title shot by unanimous decision over Aleksandar Rakic at the UFC 308 PPV last October. Ankalaev (20-1-1 MMA, 11-1-1 UFC) had to rally on a heavy campaign to get to this fight.
Now, the Russian fighter has issued stern warnings of knocking out the fake “humble boy” and company man. According to BetMGM Sportsbooks, the money line splits at an even -110 for both. Alexander Volkov and his battle experience might change that.
⚡️Alexander Volkov has joined Magomed Ankalaev in training to prepare for Alex Pereira at #UFC313
— Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) February 18, 2025
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Volkov (38-11 MMA, 12-5 UFC) is a heavyweight powerhouse in his own right. In the UFC, he has only lost to champions or title challengers Before his publicized judges’ curse split decision loss (29-28, 28-29, 29-28) to Ciryl Gane, he was on a neat 4-0 win streak. The Russian heavyweight utilizes various kicks to break down his opponents, and Ankalaev needs to step up defense before facing Poatan’s destructive leg kicks.
Win or lose, Alex Pereira could leave the light heavyweight division after UFC 313 title match
That’s a weird statement to read given the success Alex Pereira boasts at 205. But then again, the Brazilian supertsar was a top-notch 185lber, too. He’s also been teasing a move to heavyweight for a while, as he balloons up to more than 230 pounds outside camp.
Other than the striking ceiling that Rountree Jr. provided, Ankalaev might be Pereira’s toughest challenge yet. There is a big chance he might dethrone Poatan in the March 8 PPV headliner. Prime instigator Chael Sonnen predicts that whatever may come, Pereira will move on to bigger things.
‘If Pereira wins, he’s going to be looking for something else to do, and if Pereira loses he’s gone’, …I feel like many of you have forgotten how Pereira got to 205 pounds. He did not get to 205 by cleaning out 185. He got to 205 by losing at 185…So, no matter what happens after Ankalaev, things are going to be very different for Pereira. I predict he’s moving up, and the ticking time bomb of Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall carrying this on.
Chael Sonnen via his Official YouTube channel (@ChaelSonnenOfficial)
UFC CEO Dana White practically guaranteed that Jones Jones will give champion (IC) Tom Aspinall a crack at unification. However, White later regressed saying they might move on if “Bones” could not reach a specific contractual amount for it.
Jones initially stated his preference for a super fight with Pereira over Aspinall. White is dead against it, but with the star power “Poatan” packs, this might be a good bet. Alex Pereira, while unlikely, could also have other options in heavyweight boxing.
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