Media Alex Pereira threatens to ‘make it a little bit harder’ for Magomed Ankalaev to fight him after ‘disrespectful’ comments

[DanDragon Machi]

“I don’t have nobody in my mind,” he said. “The organization came with Khalil [Rountree] last time, and it was a surprise for me too. I don’t really choose opponents.”

“Some people say Ankalaev, but I’m going to be honest with you,” Pereira continued. “Him and his manager have been talking a lot of crap, saying that I don’t want to fight, this and that. The reality is the organization don’t want him to fight because he’s boring. People don’t like to watch him fight. He’s not a guy that sells pay-per-views... It’s not up to me, it’s the organization. The organization don’t want to make the fight.”

“But now? Because they keep saying that disrespecting, maybe I’ll make it a little bit even harder for them to fight me.”

Pereira threatens to ‘make it a little bit harder’ for Ankalaev to fight him

"Poatan" insists he wasn’t the one refusing to fight Ankalaev, but he may now after all the disrespect from the Russian fighter and his manager.

www.mmamania.com

 

[blopdak]

Well, now that doesn't sound very chama.

 

[JKS]

Interesting!

But if Ankalaev wins next weekend, I don't see how the UFC or Perreira can stall that fight.

 

[Mammothman]

Just make him fight out of abu dabi, that would be enough punishment for him.

 

[MrCoffee]

Just make him fight out of abu dabi, that would be enough punishment for him.

And for everyone who has to scroll past crybaby threads about it.

 

[DanDragon Machi]

“But now? Because they keep saying that disrespecting, maybe I’ll make it a little bit even harder for them to fight me.”

This should be one more reason to want beat up his ass lol

 

[RockyLockridge]

Interesting!

But if Ankalaev wins next weekend, I don't see how the UFC or Perreira can stall that fight.

easy, just ask to fight in march or april.


or better yet, If the UFC NEEDS you to fight in march or april for reasons related to other bookings, Out of your hands

 

[JKS]

easy, just ask to fight in march or april.


or better yet, If the UFC NEEDS you to fight in march or april for reasons related to other bookings, Out of your hands

Guess so.

But will they wanna do that?? It will be a bit too obvious at that point. The only situation I can see where it doesn't make em look bad is if they offer Perreira a HW title fight.

 

[Spam On Rye]

Pereira is real.

 

[Joinho10]

Never bought into the Pereira is ducking Ankalaev claims but man this makes me think otherwise. If you feel disrespected by a fighter you fight him and knock him out. This I will try to avoid you cause you hurt my feelings is weak sauce!

 

[World eater]

You will do what you are told.
Just like Ankalaev. It’s all about money.

 

[RockyLockridge]

Guess so.

But will they wanna do that?? It will be a bit too obvious at that point. The only situation I can see where it doesn't make em look bad is if they offer Perreira a HW title fight.

Is it really?

Alex just fought in October, His third fight this year. 3 fights between april and october.

If he wanted to take a 2 month break from training until new year, maybe a family vacation or whatever and get back to training february, would that really be so bad?

You say it's obvious, But we know how timelines in this sport works. If it's true that Islam will fight in January, february seems to be a booked slot for dricus vs Strickland, What happens in march or april?

We know it wont be pantoja (december). We know it wont be islam(ramadan), or belal vs shavkat winner(ramadan), wont be dricus(february)

between those 2 months, the way things look, Could only be

BW title fight (not involving Umar, ramadan)
FW title fight (should max and Illa get out relatively unscathed, rumors of a IC title fight between lopes and Volk)
LHW title fight
HW title fight (If jones and or Stipe retire)

I doubt they headline with WMMA title fights, those are Co-main events usually. Last year something similar happened, they wanted to do Poatan vs Ank in may but had to do Poatan vs hill in april because they had no headline for UFC 300

 

[HHJ]

You will do what you are told.
Just like Ankalaev. It’s all about money.

This might be what he is being told. To dismiss him publicly.

 

[TheMMAnalyst]

You will do what you are told.
Just like Ankalaev. It’s all about money.

I'd normally agree with you, but in this case Poatan actually has some real leverage, he's probably the only bankable star they can rely on: Jones doesn't fight enough, DDP isn't that popular (despite beating Izzy he didn't really take that much popularity overall from the win outside of South Africa), Belal.....lol, Islam only super popular regionally in the Middle East, Topuria just starting to build some cred but mostly in Georgia/Spain which are small markets at this time, Merab definitely not a star outside of Georgia, Pantoja not even that popular in Brazil, Shev in Kyrgyzstan/Peru which are incredibly small markets, Pena no juice anywhere - it actually might be that Zhang has the most leverage after Poatan because they really want that China market and she is huge there.

Basically Poatan has been showing up on short-notice and fighting anyone, anywhere and putting dudes out with highlight reel finishes all while not bitching about anything or being tough to negotiate with. So if he wanted to play hard-ball with making a certain opponent wait or fight him at a certain place/date he'd probably be able to lean on the UFC to make that happen unless they UFC absolutely needed to make that fight happen.

Ank isn't a star and they already have Islam/Chimaev with Umar waiting in the wings to build their Middle East market, so unless Islam loses to Arman and Chimaev loses to Whittaker they won't be under much pressure to make Poatan/Ank happen immediately.

 

[JKS]

Is it really?

Alex just fought in October, His third fight this year. 3 fights between april and october.

If he wanted to take a 2 month break from training until new year, maybe a family vacation or whatever and get back to training february, would that really be so bad?

You say it's obvious, But we know how timelines in this sport works. If it's true that Islam will fight in January, february seems to be a booked slot for dricus vs Strickland, What happens in march or april?

We know it wont be pantoja (december). We know it wont be islam(ramadan), or belal vs shavkat winner(ramadan), wont be dricus(february)

between those 2 months, the way things look, Could only be

BW title fight (not involving Umar, ramadan)
FW title fight (should max and Illa get out relatively unscathed, rumors of a IC title fight between lopes and Volk)
LHW title fight
HW title fight (If jones and or Stipe retire)

I doubt they headline with WMMA title fights, those are Co-main events usually. Last year something similar happened, they wanted to do Poatan vs Ank in may but had to do Poatan vs hill in april because they had no headline for UFC 300

The schedule does seem to align for a Perreira fight in March or April. I guess they could offer Ankalaev the fight and he doesn't take it, give it to someone else. Ulberg is on a crazy streak and fighting Volkan in November

 

[MarioLemieux]

Love Alex but he needs to take this fight for his legacy and prove himself against guys who can grapple,

and how is he gonna beat Aspinall if he can't beat Ank?

He has a good chance in this fight he should take it.

 

[kkthx]

the next fight for pereira wouldn't be ankalaev anyway since pereira will fight in march.

 

[Pious Augustus]

Just make him fight out of abu dabi, that would be enough punishment for him.

He only fought 3 times there? how is that a punishment.

 

[stronghulk]

Would love if Alex would beef with Ali the rat. Most disliked person in MMA probably p4p all-time.

 

[AldoStillGoat]

Alex stay ducking Ankalaev... now it's proven