"It just shows that he’s not writing these tweets" - Alex Pereira gives unfiltered response to Magomed Ankalaev’s UFC PI denial

Alex Pereira recently hit back at Magomed Ankalaev, citing his disagreement with the reigning light heavyweight champion's remarks regarding their encounter at the UFC Performance Institute.

Pereira will attempt to recapture his 205-pound title when he faces Ankalaev in a rematch in the main event of UFC 320 on Oct. 4 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Ahead of the title fight, Pereira posted a YouTube video, claiming that Ankalaev was hiding from him at the UFC PI last week. That didn't sit well with the Dagestani fighter, who bashed the former champion for accusing him.

However, Pereira stood firm on his words. In a recent conversation with reporters via a translator, the Brazilian took another jab at Ankalaev, saying:

''I don't know why he's saying that because that's 100 percent what happened. That just goes to show you it's not him writing online. It's not coming from him. What happens is somebody else is somewhere else writing for him, and then he comes here and sees me. Maybe he thought I don't want to face him right now, and I'm alone. But that's 100 percent what happened.''

Get the latest updates on One Championship Rankings at Sportskeeda and more

He added:

''I try to avoid conflicts with my opponents. I even try to be friendly with them afterward. You've seen this before. I've talked about training with past opponents. I don't really know what it is. He used to say a lot, that I was running away from him, that I didn't want to fight him. That's never happened. We all know the UFC didn't want to promote that fight. That's never what it was. I have no problem with him. I always try to be friendly and avoid conflict."

Check out Alex Pereira's comments below (1:03):

Magomed Ankalaev's coach mocks Alex Pereira

In a recent UFC 320 Countdown episode, Magomed Ankalaev's coach, Sukhrab Magomedov stated that the Russian will display his dominance against Alex Pereira this Saturday, just like in their first meeting at UFC 313:

''Alex Pereira, there’s nothing with which he can surprise us. Not his work in the stand-up, in wrestling he definitely cannot surprise. He cannot surprise with anything. His technique is standard, his strikes are standard. He’s an old kickboxer. He has no speed. Powerful punch? Alex has a punch, but not the kind that can really knock you out. And I tell everyone, if Magomed opens up, he’ll surprise everyone, and can even outplay, in pure stand-up, a better striker than Alex Pereira.'' [20:02 of the video]

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.

Know More