Can Pereira Beat Ankalaev In A Rematch?

Alex Pereira has been backed to defeat Magomed Ankalaev in their expected rematch and reclaim his UFC Light Heavyweight Belt by two of his former rivals. 

Pereira suffered his first defeat at 205 pounds at UFC 313, ending a five-fight win streak. Pereira started strong in the fight, landing damaging calf kicks to slow Ankalaev down. However, as the bout progressed, Ankalaev’s grappling proved too much, neutralizing Pereira’s striking and forcing him onto the back foot.
In the lead-up to the fight, Daniel Cormier questioned Pereira’s focus, citing his frequent travel and appearance at a Drake concert just a month before the event.

Henry Cejudo echoed similar concerns, suggesting Pereira’s off-cage commitments may have hurt his preparation. One of Pereira’s former opponents, Sean Strickland, has had his say. Pereira knocked out Strickland at UFC 276 in 2022. According to Strickland, for Pereira to win the rematch, he’ll need to remain more disciplined in training and prioritize his focus.

Strickland On Pereria

“I think Alex goes too hard. I mean, how many title defenses did he have? Going up and down weight classes, where Ankalaev rides the bench for a certain amount of time. Like, being that active and on top of that being a superstar. Like, no one knows who the f*ck Ankalaev is. Ankalaev walks down the street, no one knows who the f*ck that guy is.

“Alex is a superstar. He can’t leave his house without someone saying, ‘Oh, sh*t, there’s Alex, should we take a picture?’ It kind of takes a toll on the mind. Where you take Ankalaev who just lives in a f*cking cave somewhere, I don’t know where the f*ck that guy is from. He doesn’t have to deal with the same pressures of being famous as you do in the U.S. So I think Alex, if he just takes a step back, clears his brain, comes in fresh, stop traveling all over the f*cking world, I think he has a legitimate shot of beating him,” Strickland said 

Can Alex Win?

Israel Adesanya has also echoed those sentiments, saying Alex can win, expressing his belief he has improved. Izzy has faced Pereira twice in the Octagon, losing at UFC 281 before avenging the defeat with a stoppage win at UFC 287. Adesanya feels Pereira has gotten better since their last fight. 

“I’m so proud of the guy, what he’s done. It’s like I created a monster. He showed why he is who he is across two weight classes. I can’t wait to see the next fight with him and Ankalaev again. I think it’ll be another hard one, but I think he can get it done, because it wasn’t a complete washout for that fight. He’s exponentially getting better, as well,” Adesanya stated