Ankalaev Backed To Beat Pereira Again

Ex-UFC fighter Krzysztof Jotko believes the rematch between Alex Pereira and Magomed Ankalaev will unfold similarly to their first fight.

In their initial matchup at UFC 313 in March, Ankalaev won a unanimous decision, becoming the first fighter to defeat Pereira at 205 pounds to claim the light heavyweight title. The victory was largely credited to Ankalaev’s control throughout the fight, preventing Pereira from landing his strikes. Leading up to the rematch, Pereira has to address accusations made by Ankalaev’s head coach that he had used grease to prevent Ankalaev from getting takedowns. Pereira dismissed the claims, suggesting the coach was simply trying to make excuses for his fighter’s inability to take the fight to the ground. Jotko sees the fight playing out in a similar fashion.

“I think this fight [Pereira vs. Ankalaev II] [is] going to play [out] the same like the last fight, you know. I think Alex make the money. He have his moments and now I think it’s Ankalaev’s moment,” Jotko said 

How Will It Play Out?

The core reason for Ankalaev’s victory was his ability to neutralize Pereira’s most dangerous weapons. Alex Pereira is an elite-level striker with a background in kickboxing, and his power is arguably the best in the light heavyweight division. However, Ankalaev, an expert in sambo and a high-level grappler, successfully closed the distance and controlled the fight in the clinch and on the ground. For example, in the first fight, Ankalaev repeatedly pinned Pereira against the cage, sapped his energy, and limited his ability to create space for his powerful strikes. Pereira’s striking is devastating when he has room to work, but Ankalaev has proven that he can take that away.

The “greasing” accusations only reinforce the idea that Ankalaev’s team knows this is their path to victory. The very fact that this was a point of contention for Ankalaev’s corner shows that their strategy is centered on grappling and ground control. Pereira’s dismissal of the claims, saying it was an excuse for the fighter’s inability to get the takedown, doesn’t change the fact that Ankalaev’s game plan worked. This is a clear sign that they intend to use that same approach in the rematch, as Alex faces a tough task to get the win.