Magomed Ankalaev Snubs Alex Pereira and Names This Fighter as Toughest Opponent in UFC Career

New light heavyweight champion Magomed Ankalaev doesn't think knockout specialist Alex Pereira was his toughest opponent.

Magomed Ankalaev Snubs Alex Pereira and Names This Fighter as Toughest Opponent in UFC Career

Magomed Ankalaev refuses to believe Alex Pereira is his toughest fight (via X)

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After becoming the new light heavyweight champion, Magomed Ankalaev has quickly established himself as a villain in the 205-pound division. The fighter has adopted a more provocative online personality, incorporating trash talking and trolling, which has drawn significant fan attention.

All this buildup has made his highly anticipated title rematch against Alex Pereira one of the most eagerly awaited fights. Ankalaev captured the light heavyweight belt by defeating Pereira in UFC 313’s main event during a closely contested bout.

The Russian fighter adhered to a disciplined strategy, using level changes effectively to keep ‘Poatan’ constantly guessing throughout the fight. However, despite overcoming these challenges, Ankalaev doesn’t think Pereira was his most significant challenge in the UFC lightweight division.

My toughest fight in the division is Rakic, my easiest fight ever was Anthony Smith, I hit him with a combination from a video game I used to play when I was 12.

Magomed Ankalaev via X

Ankalaev faced Aleksandar Rakic last year at UFC 308, securing a unanimous decision victory, though the result felt extremely underwhelming. Before the fight, the Russian demanded a title shot at Pereira with expectations high for a knockout to make a bold statement. However, reality proved harsh, as Ankalaev contested through three grueling rounds just to gain the lead on points. 

Meanwhile, he faced Anthony Smith at UFC 277 and secured victory via TKO in the second round, dominating completely. Nevertheless, Anklaev is now set to fight Alex Pereira for the second time, entering as the betting favorite. The Russian fighter has begun mental warfare, mocking the Brazilian on social media and accusing him openly of being scared.

Alex Pereira has begun his training camp and recently shared clips showing him improving takedown defense against multiple training partners. Anklaev seized the opportunity to mock the former champion, claiming wrestling won’t matter as he plans to finish with a knockout. According to the new champion, their experience from their last fight makes achieving a knockout in this rematch much easier.

Alex Pereira predicts the upcoming potential light heavyweight title eliminator 

As Alex Pereira faces Magomed Ankalaev in the UFC 320 main event, another huge light heavyweight fight joins the card. Former champion Jiri Prochazka is scheduled to face dangerous striker Khalil Rountree in what could become a title eliminator bout. Heading into this fight, the Czech star enters as the betting favorite, given his performance in his last victory over Jamahal Hill.

Alex Pereira predicts Jiri Prochazka vs. Khalil Rountree
Alex Pereira predicts Jiri Prochazka vs. Khalil Rountree (via X)

Interestingly, Rountree also fought Hill in his most recent outing, securing a dominant victory via unanimous decision to boost his momentum. Both fighters share another similarity, as they were knocked out decisively last year by Alex Pereira when chasing the UFC gold. Having shared the octagon with the duo, Pereira recently offered fans his prediction for the much-anticipated clash.

It’s hard to say. You know, I think Jiri has really great movement and footwork. Khalil is very good as well, but I think it might be a little complicated for him because of all the movement of Jiri…It could be a tough fight.

Alex Pereira via Stake

The Brazilian superstar’s prediction created buzz, increasing expectations for a fight that might drastically reshape the light heavyweight division’s hierarchy. Pereira now faces immense pressure, particularly after recent criticism aimed at his questionable training focus and overall championship preparation strategies.

Several experts have suggested Pereira’s fame, media commitments, and global tours negatively influenced his overall performance against Ankalaev at UFC 313.  Adding to the distractions, the Brazilian striker is also hyped about his Hollywood debut portraying a villain in an upcoming A24 movie. Amidst the rising drama, fans eagerly await to see if the knockout specialist regains his lost UFC glory.

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