In 2024, Alex Pereira is slated to make his second appearance in the UFC 307 event. He is scheduled to take on Khalil Rountree Jr. in what will be his third chance at securing the UFC Light Heavyweight title. The scene is set for October 5, 2024, at the Delta Center situated in Salt Lake City.
Originally, Pereira had some other plans in mind. He harbored ambitions of taking on a different opponent, but those aspirations fell on deaf ears. A recent reveal on his YouTube channel put forth some surprising insight into this situation.
Pereira disclosed that upon finishing his encounter at UFC 300 against Jiri Prochazka, he sought to cross paths with Magomed Ankalaev. However, Pereira’s plans did not come to fruition as the Russian combatant seemed to sidestep his challenge, leading Pereira to sign on to fight Rountree at UFC 307 instead.
“I’ve had this burning desire to step into the octagon with Ankalaev,” said Pereira on his channel. “My intentions were clear, but Ankalaev did not seem to share the same sentiment. I am in the dark as to why he refused – was it a problem with the venue, or did he just not wish to engage with me in combat?”
Per Pereira’s take, Ankalaev, who does not possess the champion title, cannot cherry-pick his challengers. “He had an opportunity laid out before him but chose not to seize it. His reasoning remains a mystery to me,” Pereira added.
Much anticipated by fans, a matchup between Pereira and Ankalaev would have pulled considerable crowd attention. However, instead of facing Pereira, Ankalaev has fixed his sights on a bout with Aleksandar Rakic, scheduled at UFC 308 on October 27.
Prior to the headline-grabbing fight, Ankalaev took the opportunity to confront some accusations levelled at him by Pereira. Responding to Pereira’s comments on YouTube, Ankalaev strenuously contested the Brazilian fighter’s allegations.
On a social media post by Championship Rounds featuring Pereira’s pointed remarks, Ankalaev shot back in his defense. He blasted Pereira, characterising him as a fabricator of misinformation. The Russian emphatically stated, ‘This man is not truthful. He is creating an imaginary narrative. I will show him his place once I’m done with my upcoming fight.’
With Ankalaev’s rebuttal to Pereira’s contentious sentiments, many fans are looking forward to a potential clash between these two fighters. Could their rivalry be settled within the confines of the octagon? Will the UFC arrange a fight to allow them to settle their differences there?
Or, instead, will this exchange of words be remembered as just another classic instance of verbal sparring among athletes? These questions certainly make for an intriguing prospective subplot in the world of UFC.
Irrespective of the outcome, the unfolding drama between Pereira and Ankalaev creates a tantalizing narrative for spectators worldwide. Whether they clash inside the octagon or not, it’s undoubtedly sparking conversation and adding a dash of suspense to the UFC scene.
Pereira’s aspiration for a face-off with Ankalaev and the latter’s strong pushback has clearly drawn a line in the sand. The incident has only fueled speculation of a potential titanic confrontation, even though the reality of such an occurrence remains to be seen.
For now, all eyes are set on Pereira’s upcoming bout against Rountree at UFC 307 and Ankalaev’s impending faceoff with Rakic at UFC 308. How these fights play out may have significant implications for the future dynamic between Pereira and Ankalaev.
The spectacle surrounding these fighters and their bold statements adds to the excitement of the upcoming UFC events. The air is thick with anticipation as fans eagerly await to see how the action unfolds.
As the countdown to the matches ensues, one question presides: will the UFC see a Pereira vs. Ankalaev bout in the future? The answer remains unknown, and the waiting fans can only speculate while the drumrolls continue.