Alex Pereira gives telling one-word response to Magomed Ankalaev questioning his UFC 320 training

Alex Pereira uses a familiar term to respond to Magomed Ankalaev

The champion’s confidence recently got a boost after he caught a glimpse of the challenger’s training in a video posted on social media. The footage showed Pereira’s grueling wrestling training, which the Dagestani branded meaningless given how the first fight played out.

Having knocked out just about everyone in his path since joining the UFC, many expected Pereira to hold a clear advantage on the feet over Ankalaev, meaning the Russian’s key to victory would lie in the grappling department.

Instead, though, a tentative Pereira was out-struck after defending all of his challenger’s takedown attempts.

While that has left some concerned about whether Pereira is focusing too much on something that was a non-issue in the first fight, the Brazilian’s short and sweet response to Ankalaev’s criticism would suggest he has full faith in his strategy.

“Chama,” Pereira said on The Ariel Helwani Show.

Alex Pereira explains wrestling-heavy training clip

Before responding to Ankalaev, Pereira gave a more detailed explanation for his UFC 320 preparation.

The Brazilian fan favorite insisted he is not focusing on wrestling any more than usual for his rematch against the newly crowned light heavyweight king.

Pereira explained that such work has been a part of his camps ever since transitioning to MMA from kickboxing and training under the great Glover Teixeira.

“(I am) training the same as always.

“A lot of wrestling in our training. That is what’s building (me) to be what (I) am in the UFC. Glover’s style of wrestling.

“Some people talk too much. ‘Oh, he’s showing too much!’ Bro, (I) am just showing things that are not gonna affect (me) in the fight.

“(I’m) always focused on the wrestling for the MMA training, not only the striking.”