Magomed Ankalaev and Alex Pereira are set to meet again at UFC 320 on Oct. 4 in Las Vegas. Their first encounter at UFC 313 in March ended with Ankalaev winning by unanimous decision after methodically neutralising Pereira’s striking strengths.In the buildup to the rematch, both fighters have been involved in a series of public confrontations. Ankalaev has openly questioned Pereira’s honesty and suggested unusual tactics like greasing in their first encounter.Pereira has dismissed these claims and confronted the Dagestani at the UFC Performance Institute. 'Poatan' also criticized his rival's championship caliber and vowed to put on a better performance in the rematch.Ankalaev, meanwhile, has framed the rematch as an opportunity to finish Pereira rather than allow any redemption. Speaking at the UFC 320 countdown episode, he said:"This rematch isn't a chance for [Alex] to redeem himself. It's a chance for me to finish him."Check out Magomed Ankalaev's comments below:Ankalaev had described Pereira as unusually slippery during their first encounter and implied it affected his grappling strategy. The controversy intensified after a confrontation at the UFC PI, where Ankalaev accused Pereira of fabricating claims and lying about events that did not occur.Pereira has dismissed these accusations and framed his prior performance as limited by his condition. The UFC light heavyweight champion, meanwhile, has labeled such explanations as excuses and claimed that the rematch should settle all the questions.Chael Sonnen questions booking a rematch between Alex Pereira and Magomed AnkalaevThe rematch between Magomed Ankalaev and Alex Pereira at UFC 320 has drawn criticism from UFC Hall of Famer Chael Sonnen. Sonnen believes the fight wasn't necessary and only came about due to limited alternatives in matchmaking.Their first encounter saw Ankalaev control the fight with a solid strategy to capture the light heavyweight throne from Pereira. Sonnen believes that other fighters, including Aleksandar Rakic and Khalil Rountree, were considered first, suggesting the fight occurred out of convenience rather than demand. Speaking on his YouTube channel, he said:"The first fight wasn’t asked for. The first time these guys fought, it was because we found ourselves in a situation where there was nowhere else to go. We tried everything, we even tried Rakic to derail the train, we brought in the No. 8-ranked Khalil, we did everything to avoid the fight. Now we’re remaking the same fight that nobody asked for."