Alex Pereira avoids Magomed Ankalaev fight:
“That has to be discussed with the organization…
It’s not my fault that Ankalaev fights so boringly that no one wants to see him fight. ”
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— Championship Round (@ChampRDS)
September 28, 2024
Alex Pereira insists he has never turned down an offer to fight Magomed Ankalaev.
Pereira will defend his light heavyweight title against Khalil Rountree Jr. in the main event of UFC 307 on October 5th at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. Rountree is on a five-fight winning streak and has four finishes, but it was still a bit of a surprise to outpoint Ankalaev and clinch the title.
Ankalaev, currently undefeated in his last 12 fights, will face Aleksandar Rakic at UFC 308 on October 26th at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. Although many consider Ankalaev a legitimate title contender, Pereira previously hinted that the Russian turned down a title fight against Ankalaev at UFC 307 due to location and scheduling conflicts.
UFC 307: Pereira vs. Rountree Jr. Saturday at 10 a.m. ET on ESPN+. Order now!
However, Ankalaev’s manager Ali Abdelaziz defended his client, claiming Ankalaev was never offered a title fight and instead accused Pereira of ducking. Pereira recently dismissed allegations that he sidestepped Ankalaev, placing the blame on the UFC for the booking. Abdelaziz also said it was “bullish” for Ankalaev not to compete for gold at 205 pounds. Pereira asked Abdelaziz if he thought his coach was joking about the top teams in the UFC. Poitin also criticized Ankalaev’s lackluster grappling-heavy style, suggesting that this may be why the promotion doesn’t want him to fight for the title. Rather than trying to fend off Ankalaev, Pereira is looking forward to showing off his never-before-seen wrestling skills if he gets the chance.
“Even his manager, [Ali Abdelaziz] Yeah, a guy who’s super famous, a guy who’s famous in the MMA world goes and says, ‘Oh, this guy’s not going to fight,”’ Pereira told Kevin Eor. “Go talk to Dana White. But Dana White doesn’t want a match. That’s not true. [me]. And then I go and say it’s a joke that Ankalaev won’t fight for the title. Because that’s what the UFC and Dana White and the people who decide it are doing. [a] joke? are they clowns? they are [a] Circus? So you [have to] Please resolve this with your organization. But to be honest, it’s not my fault that Ankalaev fights so poorly that no one wants to see him fight. The players don’t want to include him. I’m ready to fight him, he’s ready to fight me. So whenever they
[make] People are talking about my position at the games, so it’s a good opportunity to go and show everyone.”
