UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira has issued a warning to top divisional contender Magomed Ankalaev.
Right now, Alex Pereira is on top of the world. The former middleweight king now runs the show at 205 pounds, and he’s showing no signs of slowing down. In fact, some would argue that he’s only just starting to find his prime in mixed martial arts – which is a scary prospect.
One man who has been touted as a future challenger for him is Magomed Ankalaev. Of course, it feels like Jiri Prochazka may be the next natural challenger, but Ankalaev is right behind him.
RELATED: Magomed Ankalaev calls for Alex Pereira title fight in Abu Dhabi: “The man doesn’t have a chin”
In a recent interview, Pereira addressed concerns about how Magomed’s ground game could impact him.
Pereira sends a warning
“I’m not the guy to call names. I’m not the guy to pick the fight,” Pereira told Sportsnet through an interpreter. “(I’ll fight) whoever (the UFC) want me to fight, but the name that’s on the table right now is Jiri Prochazka. We’re still in negotiations. I would like to fight around August, but nothing concrete yet.”
“Everybody talks about Ankalaev, talks about his ground, but they don’t know my ground,” Pereira said. “It’s not even to show (my ground game). (I) just go with the flow. But I’d like to show some time.”
Quotes via MMA Junkie
Regardless of who may or may not be next, nobody can deny that this would be a fascinating matchup. Both men are seemingly ready to make it happen, so let’s see where things go from here.
Are you excited by the idea of Alex Pereira battling it out with Magomed Ankalaev? Who would you favor to win that fight? Let us know, BJPENN Nation!
