“Much harder than Adesanya” - Magomed Ankalaev issues challenge to Alex Pereira with his sights set on capturing UFC light heavyweight title

Magomed Ankalaev has assured Alex Pereira he will not grapple if they fight for the UFC light heavyweight title.

On Saturday, January 14, Ankalaev made a statement in the first UFC event of 2024 by knocking out Johnny Walker in round two. The calculated and vicious performance has separated the Russian in the light heavyweight division, which could lead to a title shot in his next fight.

The Dagestan native is the number three-ranked UFC light heavyweight, with Jiri Prochazka and Jamahal Hill ahead of him. Prochazka recently lost against Pereira for the vacant 205-pound throne, making Hill the only contender that could fight ‘Poatan’ next besides Ankalaev.

Hill is still recovering from his ruptured Achilles tendon that forced him to vacate his UFC light heavyweight title. ‘Sweet Dreams’ is expected to receive a title shot once he returns, but it’s unclear when he will be fully recovered, giving Ankalaev a chance to potentially fight Pereira in the meantime.

Following his impressive win at UFC Vegas 84, Ankalaev called out Pereira with the following message posted on Twitter:

“@AlexPereiraUFC I will make a deal like I did with Johnny no wrestling kickboxing I will test your jaw I hate much harder than Adesanya anytime anywhere @Mickmaynard2 @danawhite @ufc”

---

Magomed Ankalaev responds to Glover Teixeira’s “see you soon” comment referencing Alex Pereira

Magomed Ankalaev’s performance against Johnny Walker caught the attention of the entire UFC light heavyweight division, including former champion Glover Teixeira. The retired Brazilian legend works closely with 205-pound king Alex Pereira, giving Teixeira another reason to keep an eye on Ankalaev.

Shortly after the UFC Vegas 84 main event, Teixeira reacted to Ankalaev’s finish with the following message shared on Twitter:

“Great knockout. We will see u soon. #UFCFightNight”

Ankalaev responded by saying this about Teixeira’s reference to him potentially fighting Pereira next:

“Thank you Champ you don’t have to wait too long. I’m ready for your guy.”

Magomed Ankalaev has proven to be a dangerous threat to the UFC light heavyweight throne. With that said, he must be ready for war if matched up against Alex Pereira, as ‘Poatan’ has taken out several world-class fighters to establish separate title reigns in the middleweight and light heavyweight divisions.