Magomed Ankalaev accuses the UFC of keeping Alex Pereira away from him: ‘I will knock him out’

Magomed Ankalaev is accusing the UFC of keeping Alex Pereira away from him.

As the No. 2 ranked contender in the division, Ankalaev is widely considered to be the next man in line to challenge for the light heavyweight title after reigning champion Alex Pereira put away Jiri Prochazka in emphatic fashion during the second round of their UFC 303 headliner last month.

However, Ankalaev recently took to social media, claiming that the promotion is protecting Pereira from him while tagging some pretty big names within the organization.

“[Alex Pereira] kept away from me for a reason, and I do understand this is business,” Ankalaev wrote on X while tagging the UFC, Dana White and matchmaker Mick Maynard. “Best fight the best and he is the best for now I will keep my work. I will knock him out. Nothing better than you’ve seen an event somebody going to sleep.” 

Ankalaev also replied to a video naming Pereira as the Fighter of the Year in the UFC’s mid-year awards.

“End of the year he’ll be laying on his back looking at the light and ask his corner, are we back in Brazil this is a promise. I will knock him out,” he wrote. 

Alex Pereira Rumored to Defend His title against magomed ankalaev in the fall

With Pereira putting his title on the line twice in the last three months, ‘Poatan’ is expected to take some time off from the fight game—despite some recent comments regarding UFC 305—though early rumors have suggested that his next appearance inside the Octagon could be this October in Abu Dhabi or a month later when the UFC makes its annual pit stop at MSG.

Presumably, Magomed Ankalaev would be the man standing across from him, but with Dana White becoming more open to the idea of letting Pereira seek a historic third UFC title, it’s possible that Ankalaev may be waiting a while.