Surging mild heavyweight contender, Magomed Ankalaev stays a formidable betting favourite to finish the dominant reign of Alex Pereira at 205lbs – with the Russian confirming plans to lure the Brazilian to an overdue showdown as quickly as Could subsequent.
Ankalaev, who most just lately featured at UFC 308 final month, handing over a forgettable unanimous choice shutout win over fellow European contender, Aleksandar Rakic within the pair’s formally billed title eliminator.
As for former two-division champion, Pereira, the Sao Paulo knockout artist most just lately headlined UFC 307 once more final month, defending his mild heavyweight crown for the third time this yr alone – within the type of a knockout win over Khalil Rountree.
Magomed Ankalaev stays betting favourite to beat Alex Pereira subsequent yr
And linked with a possible title protection towards former vacant gold chaser, Magomed Ankalaev subsequent, Brazilian fan-favorite finisher, Pereira is a present +120 betting underdog to efficiently defend his crown towards the -140 betting favourite Russian. And whereas Pereira has proved dominant throughout his mild heavyweight reign – will you punters and followers alike fall into the notorious gambler’s fallacy and choose the Brazilian based mostly on his previous performances as champion?
Setting his stall out because the potential Fighter of the 12 months for this annum – former middleweight kingpin, Pereira made relative mild work of all three of his opponents on the mild heavyweight restrict, in championship settings in addition.
Firstly headlining the monumental UFC 300 card earlier in April, Pereira made quick work of former champion, Jamahal Hill – ending him with a blistering first spherical knockout within the pair’s predominant occasion grudge struggle.
And simply months in a while quick discover, Pereira took predominant occasion standing throughout Worldwide Combat Week at UFC 303, stopping Czech Republic foe, Jiri Prochazka with a devastating second spherical knockout win.
Including the above-mentioned, Rountree to his intense profitable resume in 2024, Pereira has been referred to as upon time and time once more to welcome the problem of former title chaser, Ankalaev – who defined earlier this week how he plans to function towards the Sao Paulo native as quickly as Could.
“(Alex) Pereira has not yet agreed to the fight,” Magomed Ankalaev defined. “But sooner or later it will happen, I think the fight can take place in May.”
Nevertheless, regardless of his fixed chase of a title struggle together with his bitter rival, Pereira, Russian standout, Ankalaev is way too “boring” to compete for the sunshine heavyweight crown in response to the fan-favorite Brazilian.
“Man, I don’t have nobody on my mind,” Alex Pereira mentioned. “The organization came with Khalil last time and it was a surprise for me too. I don’t really choose opponents. Some people say Ankalaev, but I’m gonna be honest with you, him and his manager been talking a lot of crap saying, ‘Oh, Alex don’t wanna fight,’ this and that, but the reality is the organization don’t want him to fight because he’s boring. People don’t like to watch him fight, right? He’s not a guy that sells pay-per-views.”
Equally linked with a possible heavyweight transfer in pursuit of a historic championship cost towards Jon Jones or Tom Aspinall, Pereira has confirmed plans – in the meanwhile at the very least, to stay at his mild heavyweight stomping grounds.
