Days after Magomed Ankalaev put Alex Pereira on blast for allegedly turning down fight, ex-UFC star proposes fresh challenger for 'Big Ank'

UFC light heavyweight champion Magomed Ankalaev is struggling to book a fight. He recently put Alex Pereira on blast for allegedly refusing a rematch against him.

Pereira, who dropped the 205-pound title to Ankalaev at UFC 313, has allegedly not accepted a potential fight against the Russian. Former UFC lightweight fighter Josh Thomson recently voiced frustration over the lack of viable opponents for Ankalaev.

Thomson, while analysing options for Ankalaev, pointed out that top names in the division are either coming off defeats or are not ranked high enough to justify a title shot. Carlos Ulberg, who's currently ranked third, emerges as a logical candidate to step up.

Sharing his thoughts on the divisional landscape in a recent episode of the WEIGHING IN podcast, Thomson said:

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"What you have is like Jamahal Hill coming off a loss, Ion Cuțelaba coming off a loss, Aleksandar Rakic coming off a loss, Khalil Rountree Jr. coming off a loss. Dominic Reyes is number eight, he's got a win... You've got Carlos Ulberg, that's it, number three."

He added:

"I mean, throw, I would say Ulberg, put him in there, see if Ankalaev can stand with him as well. Let's see, like, there's nothing else you can do. I mean, we're looking for that guy to bring an exciting fight to Ankalaev because right now, good luck trying to sell the 85-pound division. I think for once in its conception, the 185 division is more exciting than the 205-pound division."

Check out Josh Thomson's comments below (33:30):

Magomed Ankalaev vents out frustration over lack of opponents

Fresh off his light heavyweight title win over Alex Pereira at UFC 313, Magomed Ankalaev faces a tough challenge in finding his next opponent. Both Pereira and Jiri Prochazka have reportedly declined fight offers, with Prochazka focusing on his studies.

This leaves the division thin on viable contenders since many top fighters are either coming off losing streaks or have already faced Ankalaev. Ankalaev took to X to express his frustration, writing:

"Guys is there anyone in the Light Heavyweight division who’s willing to fight me Because Jiri and Alex do not want to fight."

Check out Magomed Ankalaev's X post below:

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About the author

Abhishek Ramadasan Nambiar is a journalist who covers MMA at Sportskeeda. As a long-time practitioner of various martial arts, seeing the fusion of different forms into a quest for the ultimate fighter felt both primal and profoundly technical. At Sportskeeda, Abhishek's primary goal is to offer a fresh and distinctive angle through his writing, aiming to provide readers with more than just the basics of MMA. Along with keeping them informed about the latest developments in the sport, he strives to offer valuable insights that enhance their understanding of MMA.

When not writing about MMA, Abhishek often spends time reviewing music or devouring Brian Evanson's and Blake Crouch's work. Sign up to receive news, regular updates, and exclusive coverage.

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Edited by Abhishek Nambiar