Magomed Ankalaev is getting sick of Alex Pereira.
Lengthy thought of one of many high gentle heavyweights on this planet, Ankalaev made it clear that he didn’t recognize Pereira teasing the idea of dropping back down to 185 pounds to problem UFC middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis after UFC 305. Early Sunday morning, Ankalaev erupted on the reigning UFC gentle heavyweight champion on social media, dubbing Pereira the “largest hen within the UFC” and promising to knock out the Brazilian in two rounds or much less each time the 2 lastly do meet within the octagon.
@AlexPereiraUFC largest hen within the Ufc he name out guys middleweight he 40 pound greater than them I’m the one man he doesn’t even point out my title I promise I’m gonna deal with my enterprise in October and I’m gonna knock you out below 2 spherical
— Magomed Ankalaev (@AnkalaevM) August 18, 2024
@AlexPereiraUFC largest hen within the Ufc he name out guys middleweight he 40 pound greater than them I’m the one man he doesn’t even point out my title I promise I’m gonna deal with my enterprise in October and I’m gonna knock you out below 2 spherical
Ankalaev is at present tied with former champ Jiri Prochazka for the No. 2 spot on MMA Fighting’s global light heavyweight rankings. The 32-year-old Dagestan native is unbeaten over his previous 12 UFC bouts and lots of inside the sport assumed he could be awarded the subsequent title shot in opposition to Pereira. Nonetheless, that didn’t turn into the case.
Ankalaev is as an alternative set to face Aleksandar Rakic on October 26 at UFC 308, simply three weeks after Pereira makes the third protection of his title in opposition to MMA Combating’s No. 9 ranked gentle heavyweight Khalil Rountree Jr. on October 5 in the principle occasion of UFC 307.
It stays to be seen whether or not Pereira is severe about his pledge to return right down to 185 kilos “yet another time,” but when he’s, the middleweight champ thinks it’ll be a bad idea.
“I truthfully don’t suppose Alex Pereira ought to drop right down to 185,” du Plessis stated at UFC 305’s post-fight press convention. “If he desires to, nice, good. However then we’re going to listen to the reasons. I noticed [Israel Adesanya] stiff that man within the first spherical. I felt Izzy’s punching energy tonight. Izzy has nice timing, he’s quick, he’s lengthy and he has nice combos, however I felt the facility.
“If Izzy stiffens you want that, you do not need to be in there with me, particularly not if you’ve acquired to return in there with the reasons, ‘Oh, I reduce an excessive amount of weight.’ That’s going to occur. Everyone’s going to say it.”
