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Alex Pereira threatened Magomed Ankalaev due to the Russian's "disrespect."
Earlier this month, Pereira extended his light heavyweight title reign with a fourth-round knockout win against Khalil Rountree Jr. Heading into the action-packed matchup, many fans questioned why the No.8-ranked Rountree received the title shot instead of No.2-ranked Ankalaev.
Ankalaev and his manager, Ali Abdelaziz, have accused Pereira of avoiding the potential matchup. Meanwhile, 'Poatan' has denied the narrative several times, including this translated quote during a recent interview with Ariel Helwani:
"I don't have nobody in my mind. The organization came with Khalil [Rountree Jr.] last time, and it was a surprise for me too. I don't really choose opponents. Some people say [Magomed] Ankalaev, but I'm going to be honest with you, him and his manager have been talking a lot of cr*p saying that [I] don't want to fight, this and that."
Pereira continued:
"The reality is the organization don't want him to fight because he's boring. People don't like to watch him fight. He's not a guy that sells pay-per-views... It's not up to me. The organization don't want to make the fight, but now, because they keep saying that, keep disrespecting, maybe I'll make it a little bit even harder for them to fight me."
Pereira has quickly become a fan-favorite fighter by establishing a 9-1 UFC record, including five wins and no defeats at light heavyweight. As for Ankalaev, he holds a 10-1-1 promotional record, with his lone octagon loss coming against Paul Craig in his March 2018 debut.
Check out Alex Pereira's comments on Magomed Ankalaev below:
Magomed Ankalaev could solidify Alex Pereira fight with UFC 308 win
Magomed Ankalaev has had his eyes on Alex Pereira since knocking out Johnny Walker in January. With that said, the Russian light heavyweight contender needs to focus on his upcoming fight, which could solidify his title shot.
On Oct. 26, Ankalaev will be featured on the UFC 308 pay-per-view main card in Abu Dhabi. The 32-year-old's latest challenge is No.5-ranked Aleksandar Rakic, who looks to bounce back after consecutive losses inside the distance.
Pereira's next title defense could line up perfectly with the winner of Ankalaev vs. Rakic, especially since no other contenders stand out. Therefore, Ankalaev has added motivation to showcase an impressive performance inside the Etihad Arena.
Check out Alex Pereira's full interview with Ariel Helwani below:
