Dana White Openly Defends Alex Pereira Against Magomed Ankalaev’s ‘Ducking Allegations’

UFC CEO Dana White talks about accusations of Alex Pereira allegedly ducking Magomed Ankalaev for a title rematch.

Dana White Openly Defends Alex Pereira Against Magomed Ankalaev’s ‘Ducking Allegations’

Dana White in between Alex Pereira and Magomed Ankalaev during face off (via X)

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The main event of this week’s UFC 320 is the much-anticipated light heavyweight title rematch between Alex Pereira and Magomed Ankalaev. The last time both fighters went against each other at UFC 313, the Russian won the bout via unanimous decision. Since then, ‘Poatan’ is desperate to take his revenge and get back the title, but currently, the odds are against him. 

Before the title rematch announcement, Ankalaev began psychological tactics on social media to provoke fans and stir engagement. The Russian alleged that Alex Pereira intentionally avoided him, claiming the Brazilian did not want to face him. During the UFC 320 pre-fight press conference, Dana White was questioned about these claims and immediately supported Pereira against Ankalaev’s accusations.

This guy never turns down fights ever. When he’s injured, he’s not injured. He doesn’t give a (expletive). He’s on vacation, he says ‘yes’ and comes, believe me. 

Dana White via UFC 320 pre-fight presser 

Alex Pereira went viral months ago for a controversial tweet criticizing UFC leadership, later claiming his account was hacked. Following the incident, Pereira confirmed his working relationship with White and UFC executives remained strong and mutually respectful. Pereira has become a financial powerhouse for UFC, consistently headlining pay-per-view events that generate massive revenue and global attention.

UFC 303, headlined by Pereira versus Jiri Prochazka, achieved a gate of $15.9 million, ranking among the promotion’s top 10 highest-grossing events. Additionally, UFC 300, featuring Pereira against Jamahal Hill, grossed $16.5 million, further proving his ability to drive revenue. Pereira’s performances in the Octagon, entertainment, and marketability solidify his status as one of UFC’s top-tier attractions.

When the Brazilian shockingly lost his title to Magomed Ankalaev, many fans considered it a devastating business setback for Dana White. However, the newly crowned champion has quickly generated buzz, consistently impressing fans through bold online trash-talking across social media. Going into the main event this weekend, the Russian is the betting favorite, but some experts still believe in Pereira. 

Former rival picks Alex Pereira to win against Magomed Ankalaev 

A few weeks ago, Alex Pereira and Magomed Ankalaev had an intense confrontation at the UFC PI, humorously communicating through Google Translate. During their previous fight, Ankalaev’s relentless wrestling strength proved decisive, but this time, he confidently vowed to keep everything standing.

Alex Pereira and Magomed Ankalaev are ready for their title rematch
Alex Pereira and Magomed Ankalaev are ready for their title rematch (via X)

Ankalaev has claimed to conclude the ongoing heated rivalry by knocking out Pereira during the anticipated rematch. Meanwhile, the Brazilian superstar has committed himself to rigorous training, blending advanced wrestling techniques and striking, which was underutilized at UFC 313.

The fighter has frequently criticized Ankalaev, labeling him a boring champion, explaining his determination to reclaim the title. Interestingly, Israel Adesanya, Pereira’s long-standing rival, has supported him, confidently predicting Pereira’s victory over Ankalaev this weekend. 

I think Alex is more prepared for this fight, more motivated. There’s something different when you want to ‘get back’. For this fight, I’m going to go with Alex Pereira. I don’t know if he finishes Magomed because I’ve never seen him finished. But it’s not going to be an easy fight, based on the first fight, from what I’ve seen. From the last fight, and just shut down that confidence. I’ve done it to Alex before as well. But it’s easier said than done, but I think Alex can do it. So I’m going to go ‘Poatan’ by unanimous decision

Israel Adesanya via his YouTube 

Izzy has faced Alex Pereira twice inside the UFC octagon and impressively managed to get a strong comeback against Poatan. At UFC 313, Izzy had also supported Pereira, but unfortunately, his prediction about the fight’s outcome turned out to be incorrect. Pereira has admitted that he displayed only 40 percent of his abilities at UFC 313, confidently forecasting a different result this weekend.

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