Dustin Jacoby explains why Alex Pereira has "earned" the right for an immediate rematch against Magomed Ankalaev

Dustin Jacoby gave his take on Alex Pereira's title loss against Magomed Ankalaev earlier this year. Jacoby expressed his admiration for the Brazilian's efforts inside the octagon, while giving his nod for Pereira's immediate rematch against Ankalaev.

Pereira and Ankalaev settled their differences in the main event of UFC 313, which saw the Russian dethrone 'Poatan' via unanimous decision. Pereira's lackluster performance earned criticism from many in the MMA community, who anticipate them to square off again in a rematch. However, there hasn't been an official announcement yet.

In a recent interview with Inside Fighting on its YouTube channel, Jacoby backed Pereira to receive an immediate rematch against Ankalaev, saying:

''I think did he do enough in that fight per se, maybe not. I actually thought he fought pretty just laidback and timid and not as aggressive...Pereira in my opinion, deserves a rematch at that title man, he has proved his worth, he is a phenomenal striker, he's been a phenomenal fighter, warrior for the last couple of decades.''

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The 37-year-old continued:

''I certainly think that he deserves, if he wants a rematch with Ankalaev, I think you give it to him. The guy's special and I think he's earned that right.''

Check out Dustin Jacoby's comments below (9:07):

Ankalaev recently claimed that he was offered to headline UFC 317 in a rematch against Pereira, however the former champion declined to face the reigning champion. It was later confirmed by MMA journalist Ariel Helwani on his podcast The Ariel Helwani Show:

''According to what I’m hearing, Magomed Ankalaev was accurate with what he tweeted. The UFC did in fact call Alex Pereira for the rematch with Ankalaev on International Fight Week.”

Dustin Jacoby revisits his kickboxing matchup with Alex Pereira

Dustin Jacoby and Alex Pereira squared off in a kickboxing bout at Glory 14 in 2014, which saw Pereira earn an opening round knockout victory.

In the aforementioned interview with Inside Fighting, Jacoby discussed facing Pereira in the past, saying:

''I tell you what man, he's faster...he's a lot faster than he may appear, he just has this aura about him, the physical presence, the guy's a warrior and the power is just ungodly. I've never felt anything like it...I made the mistake, he actually caught me with a right hand like 30 seconds into the fight that definitely rocks me.'' [10:13]

Jacoby is set to make his octagon return against Bruno Lopes at UFC Vegas 107 on May 31 following an impressive performance against Vitor Petrino at UFC Tampa last year.

About the author

Swagat is a dynamic MMA writer with a total experience of a little less than a year, which includes time in retail and sports journalism. He holds an MBA degree.

Swagat fell in love with the sport after watching the iconic grudge match between Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier at UFC 182 in early 2015. Nate Diaz holds a special place in his heart for the Stockton native’s entertaining fan-friendly style and ability to deliver exciting fights regardless of the opponent.

In terms of rule changes in MMA, Swagat advocates for making scores public after each round, adding transparency to judging decisions.

Swagat prioritizes accuracy and relevance while writing and conducts thorough research to ensure the content is fresh and reliable.

He enjoys playing football and painting during his free time.

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Edited by Swagat Kumar Jena