Alex Pereira rejects Magomed Ankalaev’s call for title clash at UFC 308 in Abu Dhabi: ‘I want to fight sooner’
Receiving a call out for an October showdown in the Middle East by surging light heavyweight contender, Magomed Ankalaev, division champion, Alex Pereria appears less than interested in remaining sidelined until UFC 308 – favoring a quicker return to action.
Pereira, the current undisputed light heavyweight champion, headlined UFC 300 last weekend, successfully defending his division crown for the first time in a one-sided opening round knockout win over former champion, Jamahal Hill.
And as for Ankalaev, the Russian finisher returned at the UFC Apex facility back in January, rematching Pereira’s compatriot, Johnny Walker, where he scored a second round knockout win of his own.
Reacting to Pereira’s devastating first round stoppage against Hill earlier this month, Ankalaev vowed to turn his own knockout win against the Sao Paulo finisher, offering him a clash at FUC 308 in October.
Alex Pereira opts out of UFC 308 return
However, as far as Pereira is concerned, if Ankalaev cannot offer him a return sooner than October, he’ll likely skirt the bout in favor of a quicker comeback fight.
“I don’t want to fight at the end of the year,” Alex Pereira told MMA Fighting. “I want to fight sooner, so maybe that shows he (Magomed Ankalaev) won’t be ready. I don’t know why he said that.”
“This guy is complicated,” Alex Pereira explained. “Honestly, I have to see what’s best. I’m here to fight, but I don’t understand best about other things like where is best [to fight] and where isn’t. If I have to fight there, I will, but if it’s not a date I want, then it’s not best for me. I can say no.”
Winning light heavyweight gold last November, Pereira dispatched fellow UFC 300 feature, Jiri Prochazka in the pair’s vacant title clash at Madison Square Garden.
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