"This guy is complicated" - Alex Pereira rejects Magomed Ankalaev's Abu Dhabi callout for UFC title clash, says he wants to "fight sooner"
Alex Pereira was able to defend the light heavyweight title for the first time when he knocked out Jamahal Hill in the first round of the main event of UFC 300. Following the bout, Magomed Ankalaev took to X claiming he would dethrone the champion by knocking him out in the first round, while calling for a title bout at UFC 308 in Abu Dhabi this October.
'Poatan' responded to the callout in a recent interview with Guilherme Cruz of MMA Fighting, stating:
"I don't want to fight at the end of the year. I want to fight sooner, so maybe that shows he won't be ready. I don't know why he said that. This guy is complicated. Honestly, I have to see what's best. I'm here to fight, but I don't understand best about other things like where is best [to fight] and where isn't. If I have to fight there, I will, but if it's not a date I want, then it's not best for me. I can say no." [h/t MMA Fighting]
Check out Alex Pereira's comments on Magomed Ankalaev below:
Pereira noted that if the UFC plans to delay his return, he would rather defend his title at Madison Square Garden in November. 'Poatan' has fought at the venue three times in his UFC career – two of which were title fights – winning each time via TKO.
Kamaru Usman weighs in on Alex Pereira potentially moving to heavyweight
Alex Pereira has hinted that he could move to heavyweight with his eyes set on becoming a champion in a third weight class. Kamaru Usman recently weighed in on the prospect of 'Poatan' moving up during a recent episode of his Pound 4 Pound podcast, stating:
"I think why not let him fight [at UFC 301] in Rio [de Janeiro], in Brazil, but as far as moving up, I think everybody in that middleweight, light heavyweight and heavyweight division are in trouble when they fight a guy like Alex Pereira. If you don't take the path of least resistance and you let him actually fight in the way that he does have the biggest advantage, I think they're all in trouble."
Check out Kamaru Usman's comments on Alex Pereira potentially moving up to heavyweight below:
Usman added that he would give Pereira a good chance in a potential bout with Tom Aspinall. However, he did note that the interim heavyweight champion is a problem for any opponent. While several fighters have claimed that they would be able to defeat 'Poatan' on their feet, Israel Adesanya remains the only one who has shown an ability to strike with him.