Nobody Asked for Magomed Ankalaev vs. Alex Pereira Rematch, Claims Chael Sonnen

UFC Hall of Famer Chael Sonnen shares his opinion on Magomed Ankalaev vs. Alex Pereira light heavyweight title rematch.

Nobody Asked for Magomed Ankalaev vs. Alex Pereira Rematch, Claims Chael Sonnen

Chael Sonnen doesn't think a Magomed Ankalaev vs. Alex Pereira fight was needed (via X)

🔍 Explore this post with:

ChatGPTPerplexityGrok AIGoogle AI

Alex Pereira and Magomed Ankalaev are scheduled to fight each other in a title rematch at UFC 320 in October. It will be their second fight following the contest that took place earlier this year, where the Russian fighter secured victory. With only a few weeks left until the fight, many fans are excited; however, UFC Hall of Famer Chael Sonnen disagrees.

Prior to his loss against Ankalaev, Pereira appeared unstoppable because of his devastating knockout streak achieved against several top contenders. However, at UFC 313, Ankalaev showcased a strategic masterclass, dictating the fight with his relentless forward pressure. In a recent video, Sonnen discussed their match and surprisingly stated that the fight was never supposed to happen.

The first fight wasn’t asked for. The first time these guys fought, it was because we found ourselves in a situation where there was nowhere else to go. We tried everything—we even tried Rakic to derail the train, we brought in the No. 8 ranked Khalil—we did everything to avoid the fight. Now we’re remaking the same fight that nobody asked for.

Chael Sonnen via YouTube 

MMA’s ‘Bad Guy’ brought up how Khalil Rountree got the title shot last year instead of Ankalaev at UFC 307 and the UFC booked the Russian against Aleksandar Rakic. Sonnen also mentioned the possibility of a trilogy fight between Pereira and Ankalaev, provided ‘Poatan’ secures victory at UFC 320.

The Brazilian is determined to win convincingly this time and take revenge, seeking a devastating knockout finish that eluded him previously. The fighter was previously accused of excessive traveling and basking in fame, which allegedly caused him to neglect proper training.

However, this time Pereira has shown remarkable dedication, posting intense training clips online and claiming they represent only five percent overall. The fighter has additionally shared footage of himself perfecting takedown defense, training against multiple opponents simultaneously inside the gym. 

Ankalaev, meanwhile, used this opportunity to mock Alex Pereira, dismissing wrestling preparations entirely and predicting a knockout victory over him. The Russian confidently stated that Pereira doesn’t have any chance against him in the rematch, which has ruffled some feathers. 

Alex Pereira almost comes face-to-face with Magomed Ankalaev 

After becoming the light heavyweight champion, Magomed Ankalaev has noticeably increased his online trolling, mocking Alex Pereira and other contenders. He previously claimed that ‘Poatan’ was terrified to fight him, an intentional psychological strategy to get into the Brazilian’s mind. At first, Pereira decided to remain silent, but lately he has become vocal, openly criticizing Ankalaev’s frequent online antics.

Magomed Ankalaev vs. Alex Pereira at UFC 313
Magomed Ankalaev vs. Alex Pereira at UFC 313 (via X)

Recently, Pereira nearly confronted Magomed Ankalaev at UFC PI, but the expected heated face-to-face encounter ultimately did not happen. According to Pereira, the newly crowned champion deliberately avoided him in person despite constantly trash-talking through social media. Frustrated, the Brazilian launched a long rant directed at Ankalaev, and the passionate, fiery response quickly went viral online.

This guy talks nonsense….But the fact that the guy hides in a room because I’m in the same place as him. He’s a chump…. But what kind of champion is that man? A sh*t champion. I know that’s harsh, but he’s a sh*tty champion, man… He’s shown he’s a coward man. We’ll see. Hiding now. We’ll be in the cage, locked in there. Unless he jumps the fence. He’s a sh*tty champion, this guy.

Alex Pereira via YouTube 

Other than Alex Pereira, Ankalaev has also chosen to target several other contenders, specifically Jiri Prochazka and Rountree. Both these top-ranked fighters are already scheduled to clash against one another on the same card of UFC 320.

The next light heavyweight title bout after UFC 320 could easily feature whichever two victorious fighters emerge successfully from these crucial upcoming matchups. Despite Ankalaev and Prochazka being favorites, both Pereira and Rountree possess dangerous knockout power capable of instantly changing everything. As such, the future looks exciting for the 205-pound division at the moment.

Also Read: