UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira clarifies he never dodged Magomed Ankalaev.
Ankalaev (20-1-1 MMA, 11-1-1 UFC) had an intense campaign to fight Pereira (12-2 MMA, 9-1 UFC), but was passed over for a multi-person title fight. times.
He was convinced “Poatan” was avoiding him, but Ankalaev will now get his wish when he challenges Pereira for the light heavyweight title in the main event of UFC 313 on March 8 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas (ESPN+ pay-per-view, ESPNnews, ESPN+).
Pereira, who has defended his title three times in the space of six months in 2024, says he asked to fight Ankalaev in March.
“I said I wanted to take a break, but I started training again. I started to feel good,” Pereira told ESPN through an interpreter. “I started to see my evolution. So I immediately called my managers and told them, ‘I want to fight. I want to fight in March. I know he keeps saying that I’m just an employee of the UFC, that I fight whenever they want, but I. asked. I told them whenever I wanted. fight me.
Ankalaev has presented himself as a slight favorite against Pereira, but the champion is undeterred by the challenge that awaits him.
“He’s as dangerous as any other fighter I’ve fought,” Pereira said. “Looking at him, the way he fights, he’s a regular guy. Of course it has its weapons, it has its dangers, but I trained hard. I have evolved a lot and I am ready for him.
After suffering a knockout loss to Pereira at UFC 303, Jiri Prochazka (31-5-1 MMA, 5-2 UFC) got back in the win column by knocking out former champion Jamahal Hill on Saturday at the UFC 311. Prochazka lost twice to Pereira. is fighting for the title, but is eager to take another shot at him.
Pereira is open to a trilogy fight.
“I’m ready to fight anyone. 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 goes well, we will give Jiri an opportunity. This is what he said he wanted, and he will get it.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 313.