“Didn’t Get to Slap Him” – Alex Pereira Regrets Finishing Magomed Ankalaev Early at UFC 320

UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira talks about his dominating win over Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 320.

“Didn’t Get to Slap Him” – Alex Pereira Regrets Finishing Magomed Ankalaev Early at UFC 320

Alex Pereira wanted to beat Magomed Ankalaev for more rounds (via X)

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Last weekend at UFC 320, Alex Pereira reclaimed the light heavyweight championship after defeating Magomed Ankalaev in their intense rematch. The highly anticipated main event ended shockingly fast, lasting only 80 seconds, leaving fans stunned by Pereira’s ruthless striking dominance. Despite his quick and brutal victory, Pereira expressed disappointment with his Russian rival. 

Since winning the championship at UFC 313, Ankalaev has frequently used social media to mock Alex Pereira and provoke reactions. His constant jabs and bold statements fueled a fierce rivalry, pushing Pereira’s motivation to settle the score inside the Octagon. ‘Poatan’ entered the highly anticipated fight seeking a war, but was surprised when victory came unexpectedly easily.

I landed a clean punch before the elbows and he went diving for my legs. It was a great feeling, landing those elbows. When I landed the first one, I saw blood. I kept hitting and the referee stopped it. But I wish it could have gone a little longer, I didn’t get to slap him in the face.

Alex Pereira via UFC Rio QnA

In their previous encounter, the Russian relied on wrestling and constant forward pressure, preventing Pereira from fully utilizing his striking. In the rematch, ‘Poatan’ aggressively closed the distance, landing devastating strikes that rocked Ankalaev and shifted the fight completely in his favor. Once on the ground, Pereira’s brutal 12-6 elbows left Ankalaev defenseless, forcing the referee to stop the fight. 

After the victory, Pereira performed his iconic celebration over Ankalaev, causing the crowd to erupt wildly with loud ‘Chama’ chants. Jiri Prochazka was inside the arena, visibly emotional as he witnessed his rival decisively defeat the Dagestani. Following the fight, Pereira criticized Ankalaev’s manager, Ali Abdelaziz, for manipulating his fighter’s social media accounts to create controversy online.

Abdelaziz explained that Ankalaev was aware of the circulating social media posts and wasn’t at 100 percent in the fight. A video has since gone viral, showing Ankalaev suffering from a broken rib weeks before the scheduled bout. Daniel Cormier later confirmed the injury rumors, revealing the Russian fighter endured a compromised training camp without proper preparation. 

Despite his team advising against fighting, the former champion proceeded, ultimately leading to a disappointing and potentially avoidable loss. Pereira revealed that he wasn’t aware of the injury, but certainly hit Ankalaev’s ribs during the last exchange. The Brazilian didn’t appreciate the excuses, but is currently interested in what’s ahead of him next year. 

Alex Pereira is focused on the UFC White House event 

Right after securing victory at UFC 320, Alex Pereira received immediate callouts from the reigning UFC middleweight champion, Khamzat Chimaev. The Brazilian star declined Chimaev’s challenge, publicly announcing his intentions to move up and compete in the powerful heavyweight division.

Alex Pereira is eager for the White House event
Alex Pereira is eager for the White House event (via X)

While fans speculated he was targeting interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall, Pereira shocked everyone by focusing on former champ Jon Jones. Pereira expressed a strong desire to face Jones at the White House event planned for next year. This event has greatly intrigued ‘Bones’, who was previously denied participation in the White House event by Dana White.

The CEO is also against the idea of Pereira moving up to the heavyweight division. However, he is open to discussions if the idea appears financially beneficial and marketable. During the QnA, Pereira talked about his recent injuries and shared his intentions to be ready for the White House event. 

I think it’s good to focus on this White House [date], it’s something that interests me. I think I’ll focus on. I don’t know who’s next. I’m focused on this fight.

Alex Pereira continued.

The fighter has confirmed that he suffered a fracture in his foot and will be out for several months. Nevertheless, Jones and Pereira have wanted this fight for a long time, and fans are also excited about its possibility.

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