Oh boy, Alex Pereira’s not too thrilled about the timing for a face-off with Magomed Ankalaev in Abu Dhabi. And who can blame him?
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Pereira just knocked the lights out of Jamahal Hill in the first round at UFC 300. It was epic. Meanwhile, Ankalaev was like, “Nah, I’ll pass on UFC 300.” He was observing Ramadan. Respect. But then, he’s all up in Pereira’s business, wanting a clash in Abu Dhabi. That’s like home advantage for him.
Ankalaev’s been talking big on social media. Throwing shade at Pereira’s chin and betting on a first-round KO. Bold move.
“@AlexPereiraUFC vs me Abu Dhabi” – that’s what Ankalaev tweeted. Short and sweet.
He even threw in a “congratulation, I will stop in the first round by knockout” tweet. Tagging Dana White and Mick Maynard. Saying Pereira’s missing a chin. Ouch.
So, UFC’s big Abu Dhabi show is set for Oct. 26. But Pereira? He’s eyeing a quicker return. Maybe even jumping up to heavyweight. He’s not keen on waiting till the end of the year.
“I don’t want to fight at the end of the year, I want to fight sooner,” Pereira spilled to MMAFighting.com. He’s puzzled by Ankalaev’s timeline. “This guy is complicated,” he added.
Pereira’s all about fighting. But the when and where? That’s up in the air. If the date doesn’t suit him, he’s ready to say no.
Ankalaev’s riding high off a knockout win over Johnny Walker back in January. He’s unbeaten in his last 12 fights. Impressive, right?