![Magomed Ankalaev (middle) shares his thoughts on facing Alex Pereira (right) or Jon Jones (left) next. [Image courtesy: @jonnybones, @ankalaev_magomed and @alexpoatanpereira on Instagram]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/11/223ec-17324822188875-1920.jpg)
![Magomed Ankalaev (middle) shares his thoughts on facing Alex Pereira (right) or Jon Jones (left) next. [Image courtesy: @jonnybones, @ankalaev_magomed and @alexpoatanpereira on Instagram]](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http%3A//www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20xmlns%3Axlink='http%3A//www.w3.org/1999/xlink'%20viewBox='0%200%2010%206.25'%3E%3Cfilter%20id='b'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20color-interpolation-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20stdDeviation='.5'%3E%3C/feGaussianBlur%3E%3CfeComponentTransfer%3E%3CfeFuncA%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20type='discrete'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20tableValues='1%201'%3E%3C/feFuncA%3E%3C/feComponentTransfer%3E%3C/filter%3E%3Cimage%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20filter='url(%23b)'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Magomed Ankalaev voiced his stance on who he would fight between Alex Pereira and Jon Jones. The No.1-ranked light heavyweight has solidified his place as the top contender for the title fight against ‘Poatan’, after defeating Aleksandar Rakić at UFC 308, where he dominantly won the bout via unanimous decision.
In his recent press conference as a guest in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia, for the MMA World Championships 2024 event, Ankalaev was asked by a reporter who he would like to face between Pereira and Jones. The 32-year-old stated that he would fight both, but since 'Poatan' competes in the same weight class as him, he would choose to fight Pereira.
“The desserts are both very tasty. But Pereira is in my division, so I would choose him.”
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Check out Magomed Ankalaev’s comments below:
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Meanwhile, Pereira has been out of action since his last fight at UFC 307 against Khalil Rountree Jr. In the back-and-forth fight, the first two rounds went to Rountree Jr., but the Brazilian made a comeback in the subsequent rounds, delivering a striking masterclass and winning the bout via KO/TKO in the 4th round. .
Magomed Ankalaev vows to beat Alex Pereira in March 2025
Magomed Ankalaev has been undefeated since 2018, with his last loss coming against Paul Craig in March 2018, where Paul Craig submitted him via triangle choke in the third round. Since then, Ankalaev has been dominating the light heavyweight division. He has been calling out Pereira for a title fight, but it seems the reigning light heavyweight champion is avoiding the fight with him.
However, it seems that the fight between Pereira and Ankalaev will come to fruition. The Russian fighter took to X to share his plans for 2025, where he claimed that he will beat Pereira in March and then give him a rematch in July. He wrote:
“I’m going to beat @AlexPereiraUFC in March and I will give him a rematch in July and then I will beat one of these bums like Jamahal Hill and Jiri in Abu Dhabi in October. @Mickmaynard2 @danawhite.”
Check out Magomed Ankalaev’s tweet below:
