According to the top-ranked light heavyweight Magomed Ankalaev, the lightweight great Khabib Nurmagomedov would be able to defeat ‘Poatan’ Alex Pereira with his wrestling.
Magomed Ankalaev says Khabib Nurmagomedov Beats Alex Pereira
Magomed Ankalaev is a Russian-Dagestani mixed martial artist currently competing in the UFC’s Light Heavyweight division and has long been waiting to get a title shot against the Brazilian knockout machine Alex Pereira. He began his career in amateur MMA and combat sambo, winning several championships before turning pro in 2014.
Alex Pereira is currently listed as a slight underdog in a potential future UFC bout against Magomed Ankalaev. Pereira, the light heavyweight champion, opened with odds of +120, while Ankalaev is favored at -140. Oddsmakers seem to favor Ankalaev’s wrestling background as a potential advantage in this matchup. Check out more info at bet777 right here.
Khabib Nurmagomedov is a retired Russian-Dagestani MMA fighter who is considered one of the all-time greats in sport having retired with a perfect 29-0 record. Nurmagomedov’s fighting style was distinguished by his exceptional wrestling and grappling skills, which he developed through his background in sambo. The Eagle’ as a coach has created several world champions such as Usman Nurmagomedov, Islam Makhachev, and Belal Muhammad, among others.
Brazil’s Alex Pereira is a former two-division kickboxing world champion who transitioned to MMA and has been able to pick up middleweight and light heavyweight titles in the UFC. He is feared for his thunderous punching power. Beginning his venture into MMA quite late in his life, it is believed that his wrestling is lacking however very few fighters have succeeded in taking him down so it remains a question.
Magomed Ankalaev explained in an interview with Islam Babadzhanov that Khabib Nurmagomedov could likely defeat Alex Pereira as ‘Poatan’ lacks wrestling. He explained:
“I’ve never wrestled with Khabib, I’ve not faced him, so it’s hard to answer that question. Pereira, I think if anyone who, Khabib, if he takes him down, I think, he’ll finish it. Why? Because Pereira doesn’t have wrestling. He doesn’t know how to get up. And he also hasn’t been in hard fights where wrestling is present.”
Dagestan’s Ankalaev has remained unbeaten since his singular MMA career loss in 2018. Since then, he has defeated notable fighters including Nikita Krylov, Volkan Oezdemir, Thiago Santos, Anthony Smith, Johnny Walker, and, most recently, Aleksandar Raki?.
Dagestan’s Magomed Ankalaev has a bone to pick with Pereira and is hoping to get a shot at the throne in 2025. He sees wrestling as a major disadvantage for the knockout striker. Ankalaev’s assessment highlights the classic striker vs. grappler matchup in MMA. Despite Pereira’s formidable striking ability, Ankalaev believes Khabib Nurmagomedov’s world-class wrestling would be the deciding factor. Even at a higher weight class, Nurmagomedov’s grappling could potentially neutralize Pereira’s knockout power.