Sean Strickland shares honest preview of potential Magomed Ankalaev vs. Alex Pereira title rematch

Sean Strickland recently offered his honest take on a potential rematch between Magomed Ankalaev and Alex Pereira.

Their first fight at UFC 313 saw Ankalaev neutralize Pereira over five rounds to win a unanimous decision and capture the light heavyweight title. Pereira started strong with heavy low kicks and bursts of pressure, but Ankalaev’s composure and calculated striking took over as the fight wore on.

Now, Strickland is curious to see how Pereira bounces back if the UFC runs it back. He praised Ankalaev’s quiet, isolated lifestyle while pointing out that Pereira has become a global star with a hectic schedule. In Strickland’s eyes, Pereira’s nonstop commitments and travel may have clouded his focus.

Speaking in an interview with Red Corner MMA, Strickland said:

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"I think Alex has a great chance of beating him in the rematch... Ankalaev, right, has been on the bench for a certain amount of time. Being that active and being a superstar, like no one knows who the fu*k Ankalaev is. Ankalaev walks down the street, no one knows who the fu*k that guy is."

He added:

"Alex is a superstar. He can't leave his house without someone saying, oh sh*t, there's Alex, can I get a picture? That kind of takes a toll on the mind. Where you know Ankalaev is in a fuc*ing cave somewhere. I don't know where the fu*k that guy’s from, but like he probably lives in a fuc*ing cave somewhere. He doesn't have to deal with the same pressures of being famous as you do in the US. So I think Alex, if he just takes a step back, clears his brain, comes in fresh, not travelling over the fuc*ing world, I think he has a legitimate shot of beating him."

Check out Sean Strickland's comments below:

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Sean Strickland reacts to Belal Muhammad's lip injury against Jack Della Maddalena with a fight proposal

Sean Strickland and Belal Muhammad have traded verbal exchanges even as they continued to establish their presence in different weight classes.

Strickland's controversial comments haven't been well received by Muhammad, and the former UFC welterweight champion has expressed an interest in fighting Strickland. Muhammad recently succumbed to a unanimous decision loss to Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 315.

He suffered a torn lip in the fight, and Strickland took to X to react to the image with a fight proposal. He wrote:

"We should fight now lmao... time to back up all his bs."

Check out Sean Strickland's X post below:

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About the author

Abhishek Ramadasan Nambiar is a journalist who covers MMA at Sportskeeda. As a long-time practitioner of various martial arts, seeing the fusion of different forms into a quest for the ultimate fighter felt both primal and profoundly technical. At Sportskeeda, Abhishek's primary goal is to offer a fresh and distinctive angle through his writing, aiming to provide readers with more than just the basics of MMA. Along with keeping them informed about the latest developments in the sport, he strives to offer valuable insights that enhance their understanding of MMA.

When not writing about MMA, Abhishek often spends time reviewing music or devouring Brian Evanson's and Blake Crouch's work. Sign up to receive news, regular updates, and exclusive coverage.

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Edited by Abhishek Nambiar