Tom
Aspinall was bewildered by some fans’ assessment of the
UFC
313 title fight between Alex
Pereira and Magomed
Ankalaev.

Ankalaev dethroned Pereira via unanimous decision in the main event
at UFC 313 earlier this month. Ankalaev used his forward pressure
to put Pereira on the back foot for the most part of 25 minutes.
While Pereira defended all of Ankalaev’s takedown attempts,
Aspinall still has some doubts about the Brazilian’s wrestling.
Aspinall believes “Poatan” was wary of getting taken down by
Ankalaev. And he also thinks Ankalaev didn’t go all in on most
attempts, rather just using them to tire Pereira.

“I think [Pereira’s] still a bit wary of getting taken down,”
Aspinall said in an interview with Morson Sport. “He definitely defended the takedowns
well, but me with an educated eye watching it – I don’t think
Ankalaev was really trying to take him down that much. I think he
definitely tried a couple of times, I think he did 10 or 11
takedown attempts but I would say only two or three of them he went
full blast. I think the rest of the time he was trying to tire him
out with he grappling, standing — like the cage grappling stuff. I
think Ankalaev had the perfect game plan: he didn’t over commit,
tired him out.”

Pereira’s coaches, along with some observers, believe that the
Brazilian beat Ankalaev. However, Aspinall believes it is only the
uneducated eye that saw Pereira winning. “Honey Badger” also thinks
it’s only uneducated fans who found the bout to be lackluster.

“I can’t believe people watched that fight and thought Pereira
won,” he said. “It was just wild to me that how many uneducated
fans are out there. And many uneducated fans thought it was a
boring fight as well. I thought it was amazing fight. Both guys did
good, and I think Ankalaev was just a lot better than him on that
night.”

IMAK ADMIN

By IMAK ADMIN

Internationaler Kampfkunst und Kampfsport Kleinanzeiger