UFC light heavyweight champion Magomed Ankalaev is feeling remarkably confident in the lead-up to his rematch against former two-division champion Alex “Poatan” Pereira at UFC 320, as the Dagestani-Russian is looking to silence all of his critics, as stated in an interview below.
“I actually want him to come into this fight 100% so there are no questions about the outcome. I don’t want to hear talk like last time about him not being ready or something not being done.
I want him to be in great shape so that after our fight he has no excuses.”
Magomed Ankalaev says the rematch with Alex Pereira will be ‘much easier’ than the first fight 👀
«I actually want him to come into this fight 100% so there are no questions about the outcome. I don’t want to hear talk like last time about him not being ready or something not… pic.twitter.com/pcgMSOfbKI
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) August 25, 2025
The first bout between the two was seen as a bit of a disappointment as Pereira was seemingly gunshy, and so was Ankalaev, as both respected the other’s skills a bit too much. Pereira’s touch of death power and Ankalaev’s excellent grappling and underrated striking led to the most significant moment of the fight.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MARCH 08: (R-L) Magomed Ankalaev of Russia punches Alex Pereira of Brazil in the UFC light heavyweight championship fight during the UFC 313 event at T-Mobile Arena on March 08, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
Magomed Ankalaev is one looking to steal the Aura of Alex Pereira.
Ankalaev is somewhat of an unpopular champion as of late, especially after he has recently resorted to trash-talking his opponents online, and particularly following his lackluster first fight. He has not done much to earn the love of the fans in terms of likability or entertainment value. However, his skill is absolutely undeniable, as he is now the top of the heap at the light heavyweight division, looking to defend his title against a former champion in what is a make-or-break fight for Ankalaev and his legacy.
