No.2-ranked light heavyweight contender Magomed Ankalaev appears to be a strong candidate for the next title shot, but Alex Pereira is not keen on giving him that opportunity.
In a recent social media post by Championship Rounds, Pereira told Ag Fight that they have more or less ruled out Ankalaev as the next challenger due to his recent fights being unimpressive:
“We have already talked more or less with the organization, [Magomed] Ankalaev is kind of ruled out… He is a guy who had two very bad fights, very boring to watch. So, I don’t think there is any need to say his name.”
Pereira indicated a preference for former champion Jiri Prochazka to be the next contender, despite having defeated Prochazka previously at UFC 295 to claim the 205-pound belt.
Ankalaev strengthened his case with a notable second-round knockout victory over Johnny Walker at UFC Vegas 84. He also boasts wins against former title challengers Anthony Smith and Thiago Santos and holds an impressive 12-fight unbeaten streak.
Following his win over Walker, Ankalaev sent a warning to Pereira’s coach, Glover Teixeira, during the post-fight press conference, expressing confidence in knocking Pereira out when they eventually face each other:
“To Glover Teixeira, I have a message. Don’t waste your time trying to teach your student how to wrestle or grapple. He is not going to need it… I’m going to stand across from him. I know that he has been knocked out before as a middleweight. So imagine what’s going to happen if I meet him in light heavyweight. Trust me, he is not going to feel comfortable there.”
However, there are doubts about whether trading strikes with Pereira is wise, considering Jamahal Hill’s unsuccessful attempt to knock out the seasoned fighter in their recent bout. Hill, like Ankalaev, found himself unable to last even a single round against Pereira, a former GLORY two-division champion.
