ABU DHABI – Magomed Ankalaev has been on the cusp of greatness within the UFC, and the highway again, he’s discovering, typically has surprising bumps.
There haven’t been bumps for Ankalaev (20-1-1 MMA, 11-1-1 UFC) that contain losses. Saturday, he outworked Aleksandar Rakic (14-5 MMA, 6-4 UFC) at UFC 308 and stayed on observe at gentle heavyweight.
It’s been practically two years since Ankalaev fought Jan Blachowicz for the then-vacant gentle heavyweight title. They fought to a draw, and the belt stayed with out an proprietor. Ankalaev fought Johnny Walker 10 months after that and needed to cope with a no contest.
However he knocked him out once they ran it again earlier this 12 months, and his win over Rakic, UFC CEO Dana White stated, doubtless makes him subsequent for 205-pound champ Alex Pereira. However Ankalaev thinks the UFC is perhaps attempting to maintain its busiest titleholder secure.
“Let’s do it: Alex, cease working away from me. … I’ve heard that he desires to battle throughout Ramadan. We’re not preventing in Ramadan. In any other case, after Ramadan or earlier than Ramadan, if he says sure, we’ll battle him.”
There was discuss that Pereira, a former middleweight champion, as properly, may transfer to heavyweight to go after a historic third belt. If that occurs earlier than a possible battle with Ankalaev, he thinks it’d converse volumes.
“I believe he’s being protected,” Ankalaev stated. “I’m unsure why the UFC is doing it. I believe they’re defending him. We all know that he’s an thrilling fighter. We all know that he fights within the standup. He’s an incredible striker. So I believe that they’re simply saving him, defending him.”
Ankalaev hasn’t misplaced since his UFC debt in early 2018 – a submission to Paul Craig that is still the lone lack of his profession. Over a nine-month stretch forward of his vacant title battle with Blachowicz, he had three straight wins over former title challengers Volkan Oezdemir, Thiago Santos and Anthony Smith.
“I don’t care who I battle on this division. I’ve already fought all the highest fighters,” Ankalaev stated. “If Pereira goes to heavyweight, I don’t care. I’ll battle anybody who’s within the UFC. Whoever UFC places in entrance of me, that’s who will battle for the title.”
But when a way, someway, it’s Pereira, Ankalaev thinks the belt is coming residence with him.
“It’s MMA, so in fact I can strike with him,” he stated. “I can wrestle with him. I don’t actually suppose that that is going to be that a lot of a tough battle for me. I believe I’ve had more durable fights within the division.”
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