Magomed Ankalaev demands title shot against Alex Pereira next, predicts "knockout" win against the Brazilian who "has no chin"
Magomed Ankalaev wasted no time staking his claim for the next UFC light heavyweight title shot after champion Alex Pereira retained his belt with a first-round knockout at UFC 300.
Pereira defended his title against Jamahal Hill in a dominant fashion, extending his winning streak to three. However, Ankalaev believes he's the rightful challenger, pointing to his ten-fight unbeaten run and 'Poatan's' supposed weakness:
“@AlexPereiraUFC congratulation, l will stop in the first round by knockout @danawhite @Mickmaynard2 the man doesn’t have a chin.” [H/t: MMA Junkie]
He further emphasized his desire by proposing a fight in the upcoming UFC event in Abu Dhabi.
Check out Magomed Ankalaev's series of posts below:
Ankalaev has a strong case. After a controversial split draw against Jan Blachowicz in a vacant title fight, he was sidelined by a no-contest due to an accidental knee in his first encounter with Johnny Walker at UFC 294.
However, the Russian rectified that with a decisive knockout victory in their second meeting in January, showcasing the firepower he believes can dethrone the current division champion.
Magomed Ankalaev's career in the UFC so far
Nagomed Ankalaev has established himself as a serious contender in the UFC 's light heavyweight division. Debuting in 2018, Ankalaev suffered a heartbreaking submission loss in his first fight. However, he bounced back impressively, showcasing his striking power with knockouts over Marcin Prachnio and Dalcha Lungiambula, both earning him 'Performance Of The Night' bonuses.
Ankalaev's knockout win over Ion Cutelaba in 2020 became embroiled in controversy, with many believing the stoppage was premature. Despite a rematch falling through twice due to Cetelaba testing positive for COVID-19, Ankalaev eventually secured a decisive knockout victory in their second encounter.
Ankalaev continued his winning streak with unanimous decision victories over Nikita Krylov and Volkan Oezdemir, further solidifying his position in the light heavyweight division. He then defeated Thiago Santos and Anthony Smith, the latter via a second-round TKO.
Ankalaev's title shot against Jan Blachowicz for the vacant championship in December 2022 ended in a highly disputed split draw, with many believing he deserved the win. Another controversial moment arose in his rematch with Johnny Walker at UFC 294, which was ruled a no-contest due to an illegal knee.
However, Ankalaev left no doubt in their January 2024 rematch, knocking out Walker in the second round and claiming another ‘Performance of the Night’ bonus.
Currently No. 2 ranked in the light heavyweight division, Ankalaev is on a 12-fight unbeaten streak and appears poised for another shot at UFC gold.