According to Alex
Pereira, he got exactly what he asked for at UFC
313.
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It was announced on Saturday that Pereira will defend his light
heavyweight crown against Magomed
Ankalaev in the UFC 313 headliner on March 8 at the T-Mobile
Arena in Las Vegas. While Pereira has been accused of avoiding the
fight by his opponent, he claims that he requested to face the
Dagestani light heavyweight.
“I did say that I wanted to take a break, but I started training
again. I started feeling good. I started seeing my evolution,”
Pereira told ESPN through a translator. “So I called my managers
right away and I said, ‘I want to fight. I want to fight in March.
I want to fight Ankalaev.’ I know he keeps saying that I’m a just
an employee of the UFC, I fight whenever they want, but I asked for
him. I told them when I want to fight.”
Ankalaev will enter the bout on a 13-bout unbeaten streak in UFC
competition. The 32-year-old is coming off a unanimous decision
triumph over Aleksandar
Rakic at UFC 308 last October. Though Ankalaev was viewed as
the No. 1 contender before Pereira was booked against Khalil
Rountree at UFC 307, “Poatan” doesn’t see the challenger
anything special.
“He’s as dangerous as any other fighter I’ve fought,” Pereira said.
“Looking at him, the way that he fights, he’s an ordinary guy. Of
course he has his weapons, he has his dangers, but I’ve been
training hard. I’ve evolved a lot, and I’m ready for him.”
Ankalaev, who has been eagerly awaiting his championship
opportunity, issued a warning to Pereira via social media.
“You just [signed] your death certificate,” Ankalaev wrote. I’m
gonna punish you for ducking me, and I’m gonna make you look like a
guy [who works] in a tire shop, not [a] professional fighter.”
You just sign your death certificate I’m
gonna punish you for ducking me and I’m gonna make you look like a
guy work in a tire shop not professional Fighter— Magomed Ankalaev (@AnkalaevM)
January 20, 2025
Pereira also came away impressed with former foe Jiri
Prochazka, who scored a third-round TKO against Jamahal
Hill at UFC 311.
Though he has twice been finished by Pereira, Prochazka made it
clear that he wants a trilogy against the Brazilian striker.
Pereira is also open to that possibility, if the situation is
right.
“I’m ready to fight anybody. It doesn’t matter who it is,” Pereira
said. “Right now, it’s Ankalaev’s time. I’m going to fight
Ankalaev. But after this fight, [if] everything’s doing good, we’re
going to give Jiri an opportunity. That’s what he said that he
wants, and he’s going to have it.”
Great performance Jiri, CHAMA
#UFC311— Alex “Poatan” Pereira (@AlexPereiraUFC)
January 19, 2025