Jon Anik shuts down UFC 313 "scam" claims over Alex Pereira vs. Magomed Ankalaev fight: "Happy to discuss"
Alex Pereira and Magomed Ankalaev squared off against each other at UFC 313 in a light heavyweight title showdown. The fight was accused of being a "scam" by a section due to alleged discrepancies in the strikes during the fight, forcing Jon Anik to dismiss the claims.
The bout went in the opposite direction with lesser activity from Pereira. Ankalaev eventually secured a victory on the judges' scorecards.
An MMA fan posted a video on X alleging discrepancies in the striking from the company when it was live and Anik announced them as he was commenting cageside.
"Alex Pereira and Ankalaev in round five with 21 seconds left, they showed the round-by-round strikes towards the end of the fight. ...These were one of the most disgustingly misrepresented statistics I've ever seen. At the end of fight Jon Anik was announcing, that the odds were on the board, they showed plus 100 Alex Pereira and Jon Anik made sure that everybody knew so that you can gamble on the fight."
Watch the video below:
The 46-year-old American MMA commentator showed up in the comments and responded to the video by dismissing the claims made in it:
"Happy to discuss. There is no conspiracy, brother."
Tom Aspinall explains the keys to Magomed Ankalaev's win at UFC 313, calls for an immediate rematch with Alex Pereira
Magomed Ankalaev and Alex Pereira kept the business at UFC 313 mostly on feet. However, it was not a usual Pereira fight as Ankalaev managed to deliver his strikes precisely while avoiding his devastating punches.
UFC interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall took to his YouTube channel and explained the keys that helped Ankalaev overcome Pereira. He also called for an immediate rematch between the pair given the massive star power of 'Poatan'.
"He wanted it more, pressure, he looked the fresher man, mixed in between the takedowns, and the striking, beautifully! I wasn't sure if he'd do that to be honest, I said a lot in the pre-fight, 'Ankalaev needs to do that.' I'm not saying he took my advice because he's got amazing coaches and he's a smart guy himself."
He continued:
"I wasn't sure if he'd get a little plotty and end up getting caught by the extremely powerful Alex Pereira, but Alex Pereira run is done as a champion. In my opinion, an immediate rematch should be there next, like Alex Pereira is a massive massive massive star in the sport."
Watch Tom Aspinall's comments below (12:41):