Tag: Magomed Ankalev

‘Ain’t Beating Pereira’ – Fans React As Magomed Ankalaev Outpoints Aleksandar Raki? At UFC 308

Is Magomed Ankalaev next in line to face Alex Pereira for the light heavyweight title? That’s what the question is following his victory over Aleksandar Raki? at UFC 308. The first round saw plenty of leg kick trading, with Raki? using his attacks to pile on damage to Ankalaev’s lower body. The Russian, however, slowly […]

Continue Reading ‘Ain’t Beating Pereira’ – Fans React As Magomed Ankalaev Outpoints Aleksandar Raki? At UFC 308 at MMA News.

Is Magomed Ankalaev next in line to face Alex Pereira for the light heavyweight title? That’s what the question is following his victory over Aleksandar Raki? at UFC 308.

The first round saw plenty of leg kick trading, with Raki? using his attacks to pile on damage to Ankalaev’s lower body. The Russian, however, slowly found success with the left hand, and that extended into the second round. In another close round, Ankalaev’s left hand proved to be a powerful weapon, with “Rocket” seemingly troubled by its attack toward his body.

Ankalaev continued to find success, while Raki? sought for a takedown in the third round and hoped to play things safe — after his corner controversially told him he was up two rounds.

The Austrian’s team may have been shocked (unlike plenty of others) then to find out the judges all gave 29-28 nods to Ankalaev.

Magomed Ankalev Gets Decision Win At UFC 308, Tells Alex Pereira To ‘Stop Running’

The top contender is unbeaten since dropping his UFC debut in 2018. He came into this fight off a brutal knockout of Johnny Walker in January.

Raki?, meanwhile, has now lost three straight, which also includes a TKO loss to former champion Ji?í Procházka at UFC 300.

Continue Reading ‘Ain’t Beating Pereira’ – Fans React As Magomed Ankalaev Outpoints Aleksandar Raki? At UFC 308 at MMA News.

Alex Pereira Insists ‘Nobody Wants to Watch’ Magomed Ankalev Fight: ‘Such a Boring Style’

MixCollage 29 Sep 2024 07 51 PM 6442While Alex Pereira is gearing up for his fight with Khalil Rountree Jr. at UFC 307, he finds himself…

MixCollage 29 Sep 2024 07 51 PM 6442

While Alex Pereira is gearing up for his fight with Khalil Rountree Jr. at UFC 307, he finds himself still having to explain away the fact that he is not facing Magomed Ankalaev instead.

Many people in the MMA community were shocked when the UFC announced the Pereira vs. Rountree Jr. fight, and it forced the light heavyweight champion to defend himself against accusations that he was “ducking” Ankalaev.

Alex Pereira

In fact, Ankalaev himself even called Alex Pereira out on X (formerly known as Twitter), saying that he was picking on fighters from lighter divisions.

“You are so weak [Alex],” Ankalaev scoffed. “You only pick on the guys who are in a lower division than you, and you think you can beat them. People are not stupid. There is a reason why you are fighting Khalil and not me.”

Alex Pereira explains away “Ducking” allegations, calls Magomed Ankalaev boring

Clapping back to defend his honor, Pereira would go on to claim that it was the UFC who didn’t want them to fight, not him. In an interview with MMA journalist Kevin Iole, Pereira would break it all down.

“Even his manager [Ali Abdelaziz] right? A super famous guy in the MMA world goes and says ‘This guy [Pereira] is not going to fight [Ankalaev].’ Go talk to Dana White… [he] doesn’t want to make the matchup. It’s not Alex.” The champion said (H/T Sportskeeda). “And then he goes and says, ‘The fact that Ankalaev not fighting for the title is a joke.’ Because if the UFC, Dana White, and the guys decide, so they are [a] joke? They’re clowns? They’re circus?”

“You got to sort that out with the organization,” Alex Pereira continued. “It’s not my fault that Ankalaev has such a boring style of fighting that nobody wants to watch.”

Do you think what Alex Pereira is saying has any merit?