Reigning UFC light heavyweight champion, Alex Pereira, is expected to defend his 205-pound title against No. 1-ranked division contender, Magomed Ankalaev, at one of the promotion’s upcoming pay-per-view (PPV) events in early-to-mid 2025.
Time to see if this trash talk is true.
Former UFC light heavyweight kingpin, Jan Blachowicz, fought Pereira to a split decision at UFC 291 back in summer 2023, just a few months after his split draw (and main event dud) against Magomed atop the UFC 282 PPV card the previous winter.
“If Ankalaev will fight like last fight with Rakic, he’s going to lose the fight,” Blachowicz said in an interview with Home of Fight. “He needs to do something more. He is a good fighter, but it’s not enough for Pereira in this kind of style. He needs to change. He needs to be more … he has to believe in what he’s doing. I think he doesn’t believe. He just wants to win the fight, but don’t take too much punches.”
That’s a nicer way of saying this.
“He is very careful in this what he’s doing, and I think this kind of way, fighting with Pereira, will not work,” Blachowicz continued. “He said the same before Rakic that we’re going to see a new Ankalaev, but everybody saw that this fight was very boring. I almost go to sleep, so maybe he will start saying the same and then he will fight again very boring style. Three fights ago, I would have picked Ankalaev, but now Pereira.”
Blachowicz, currently ranked No. 4 in the light heavyweight class, could blast his way back into title contention with a highlight-reel finish over fast-rising New Zealand slugger, Carlos Ulberg, when they collide as part of the UFC London fight card in March.
Lots of moving pieces to this 205-pound puzzle.