Magomed Ankalaev, after his knockout win against Johnny Walker at UFC Vegas 84, has declared his intention to fight UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira next, stating his belief that he is more deserving of the title than former champion Jamahal Hill.
Magomed Ankalaev has a new target in sight. He’s eyeing UFC light heavyweight champ, Alex Pereira, after his recent victory.
Saturday night saw Ankalaev score a big win. He was the star of UFC Vegas 84’s main event, knocking out Johnny Walker in round two. This win could potentially place him as the top contender for the 205-pound title.
Post-match, Glover Teixeira, Pereira’s coach, hinted at Ankalaev being the next challenger. Ankalaev didn’t shy away from responding at the post-fight press conference.
“I could’ve wrestled Johnny Walker today,” Ankalaev admitted, speaking through a Russian translator. He could’ve taken Walker down and won with ground-and-pound. But he had a point to prove. He chose to stand up, knock Walker out, and that’s exactly what he did.
Ankalaev had a message for Teixeira too. “Don’t bother teaching your student wrestling or grappling. He won’t need it,” he warned. Ankalaev plans to stand across from Pereira, reminding Teixeira that Pereira has been knocked out as a middleweight before. He questions how Pereira will fare in the light heavyweight category.
Ankalaev’s been a force to reckon with in the light heavyweight division. His only loss was a last-second submission to Paul Craig in his UFC debut. Since then, he’s been undefeated in 12 fights. His only hiccups were a no-contest against Walker at UFC 294 and a split draw against Jan Blachowicz at UFC 282.
The fight with Blachowicz was meant to crown a new light heavyweight champion. But it ended in a stalemate. Ankalaev was initially disappointed with the decision, but he’s moved past it.
“I’ve considered myself the champ since that fight,” Ankalaev declared. He felt robbed of his chance when the judges declared a draw. Now, he sees another opportunity to fight for the title.
Ankalaev is excited about the prospect of fighting Pereira. He anticipates a thrilling fight and looks forward to reclaiming his title.
There’s a potential roadblock though. Pereira might be matched with ex-champion Jamahal Hill. Hill had defeated Teixeira for the title at UFC 283, setting up a possible grudge match with Pereira. But Hill had to give up the title due to an injury. When Hill’s fit to fight again, he’s expected to be the first in line for a title shot.
Ankalaev, however, believes he’s got a stronger case than Hill. He argues that with 10 victories, six being knockouts, he’s more deserving of the belt. He points out that Hill has only had eight total fights in the UFC. To Ankalaev, it’s clear who the more deserving contender is.