Glover Teixeira sends post-win message to Magomed Ankalaev on Alex Pereira's behalfÂ
Magomed Ankalaev made a thunderous statement in the UFC's first event of 2024, emphatically dispatching Johnny Walker with a second-round knockout at UFC Vegas 84.
The victory extends Ankalaev's unbeaten streak to a remarkable 12 fights and positions him as a top contender for the newly crowned UFC light heavyweight champion, Alex Pereira.
Following his dominant performance, Ankalaev immediately called for a title shot:
"The most important thing is I am ready to fight for the title, I have 10 victories in a row. It's been a long time. I'm worth it. Give me that fight for the title now." [H/t: Yahoo Sports]
Responding to the callout, Pereira's coach and former champion, Glover Teixeira, posted on social media on behalf of his team:
"Great knockout. We will see u soon. #UFCFightNight"
Check out Glover Teixeira's post below:
While Ankalaev's dominant performance and impressive streak make him a strong contender, he's not the only fighter vying for a shot at Pereira's belt. Jamahal Hill, the former light heavyweight champion sidelined by an Achilles rupture in July last year, is also eager to reclaim his title.
With two top contenders now in the mix, the light heavyweight division is primed for an exciting title picture in 2024.
Magomed Ankalaev casts doubt on Alex Pereira's championship legitimacy
Magomed Ankalaev isn't convinced Alex Pereira has truly earned his throne at 205 pounds. While acknowledging Pereira's hard work, Ankalaev questions the fast track the Brazilian enjoyed.
In an interview with CBS Sports' Shakiel Mahjouri, the Russian fighter said:
"Obviously, he worked hard to get to where he got to, but I don't know if he did enough to get this chance and get this title... He moved up in weight. If you look at his fight with Blachowicz, I don't know if he won that fight but the judges gave it to him. Then he obviously won in a dominant way against Prochazka because Jiri has a problem with wrestling."
Further criticizing Pereira's vulnerability to wrestling, Ankalaev added:
"When it comes to Pereira, I feel he has a huge problem with wrestling. Those guys are both strikers and they fought against one another [at UFC 295]. Pereira was the better striker and now he's the champion... I'm going to do whatever I can, whatever I have to do this year to make sure these guys are out of my way." [H/t: MMA News]
Check out Magomed Ankalaev's comments below (06:42):