Media Alex Periera says it’s the UFC that doesn’t want Ankalaev fight

[HHJ]

So did the UFC want Merab fighting O’Malley?

Nope.

But they didnt want Belal fighting Leon either

They just ran out of other options.

They seem to hate Ank even more than they hate Merab and Belal tho.

They prayin Rakic beats him cos then they will just drop him from the rankings or some shit and never ever ever give him a shot. Keep him fighting #12's and # 11's forever.

 

[Jon!]

ohhh so you cant get a title shot if you dont finish people?

I doubt this is actually a surprise to you.

I'm pretty sure you didn't start following the UFC yesterday lol

 

[HHJ]

I doubt this is actually a surprise to you.

I'm pretty sure you didn't start following the UFC yesterday lol

yeah but gimme a break bro

oh no he has 4 and the other guy has only two!

its a bit weak

 

[AldoStillGoat]

Nope.

But they didnt want Belal fighting Leon either

They just ran out of other options.

They seem to hate Ank even more than they hate Merab and Belal tho.

They prayin Rakic beats him cos then they will just drop him from the rankings or some shit and never ever ever give him a shot. Keep him fighting #12's and # 11's forever.

What options were there for Alex? Roundtree? lol.

Alex is hiding behind the UFC let’s be real. He hasn’t fought any grapplers… all favorable matchups.

 

[Jon!]

yeah but gimme a break bro

oh no he has 4 and the other guy has only two!

its a bit weak

4:2 finishes in favour of Rountree
5:1 win streak in favour of Rountree

Rountree also more likely to give Alex the kickboxing bout the UFC want, it's not exactly a mystery why the UFC don't want Alex-Ank.

 

[JoeRowe]

Am I the only one that doesn't find Ankalaev boring? I mean he's no Charles/Poirier/Jiri but I don't think he's Jon Fitch either.

I really want to see Alex vs Ank but I could see either or even both losing there next fight.

 

[HHJ]

4:2 finishes in favour of Rountree
5:1 win streak in favour of Rountree

Rountree also more likely to give Alex the kickboxing bout the UFC want, it's not exactly a mystery why the UFC don't want Alex-Ank.

Yeah but your talkin about what UFC want and not what Ank deserves.

You dont got to tell me what UFC want, I know what they want. Fuck them tho.

 

[HHJ]

He hasn’t fought any grapplers…

WHOMST

 

[VinceArch]

I believe Alex on this that he wants the smoke. UFC have been very protective of him.

 

[HHJ]

I believe Alex on this that he wants the smoke. UFC have been very protective of him.

I mean they brought him up fast, its true, but there isnt really that many guys who are grapplers for him to fight him where hes at now.


Ank has some grappling but if you watch all his fights the dude strikes like 99% of the time anyway, so UFC just hate the dude's SOUL more than anything


"This Dagestani tryna take everything we worked for motherfucker"

 

[HHJ]

Am I the only one that doesn't find Ankalaev boring? I mean he's no Charles/Poirier/Jiri but I don't think he's Jon Fitch either.

I really want to see Alex vs Ank but I could see either or even both losing there next fight.

There are times where he, like Strickland, sometimes stays in a certain gear.


But if you really open up on him, he will do the same to you. You saw when guys like Ion and Walker tried to get cute on him.


UFC should have more confidence in Poatan. I'd still favor him to win.

 

[HHJ]

I think what UFC is scared of is Ank doing what he did to Jan. Just keeping him on the floor, even with a busted leg, he was able to manage that.

 

[VinceArch]

I mean they brought him up fast, its true, but there isnt really that many guys who are grapplers for him to fight him where hes at now.


Ank has some grappling but if you watch all his fights the dude strikes like 99% of the time anyway, so UFC just hate the dude's SOUL more than anything


"This Dagestani tryna take everything we worked for motherfucker"

and if he were to stand with Alex that would be his own fault... I think he'd definitely focus on wrestling with this one. It is strange that he isn't well liked and I wonder if it was just his string of decision wins? He's been more aggressive for a couple of years now.

 

[HHJ]

and if he were to stand with Alex that would be his own fault... I think he'd definitely focus on wrestling with this one. It is strange that he isn't well liked and I wonder if it was just his string of decision wins? He's been more aggressive for a couple of years now.

I think he just gets overlooked because he doenst talk much, and people remember the one time he did talk, he was upset that he got a draw that he felt he won.

He has some killer knockouts, but is admittedly stuck in first gear in some of his fights if his opponents dont bring it to him, def a counterstriker.

 

[VinceArch]

I think he just gets overlooked because he doenst talk much, and people remember the one time he did talk, he was upset that he got a draw that he felt he won.

He has some killer knockouts, but is admittedly stuck in first gear in some of his fights if his opponents dont bring it to him, def a counterstriker.

I'm hoping he wins next and we are either finally to see Alex vs Ankalaev or hear the UFC's next excuse to book him on another Fight Night card.

 

[maximus__]

Alex got a title shot at middleweight with only 1 top win. Then he got a title shot at light heavyweight with only one win in the division. He's got Dana White privilege, Ankalaev does not.

That top win became the champion. Alex got the shot because he was 2-0 vs Izzy and Izzy was on his 3rd lap through the division.
His beat the guy Ank couldn't at LHW and it's just came out he did it with 1 knee. Whilst Ank was taking back to back fights against Johnny Walker, Pereira was fighting top guys at LHW on short notice.

I agree he is getting good fights, but it's like you forget that he is taking short notice fights against people whilst Ank fights once a year.

Ank was active in 2022 and got a title shot, same thing happened to Islam when he was active back in the day. These guys fight so little they get looked over by other fighters who build momentum. Ank could be in the same position if he would fight more regularly and didn't take 9+ months between fights.
He has sat out since Jan just to fight on this Abu Dhabi card a week after Alex fights again.

 

[Istryker]

Skipping his next fight.

 

[MCarpo]

Yeah but Alex is a superstar, he could easily force the UFC’s hand.

Tell that to Randy Couture.

Ankalaev sealed his own fate after the Blakovicz fight, when he complained about the decision and threatened to not fight in the UFC again.

 

[blaseblase]

That top win became the champion. Alex got the shot because he was 2-0 vs Izzy and Izzy was on his 3rd lap through the division.
His beat the guy Ank couldn't at LHW and it's just came out he did it with 1 knee. Whilst Ank was taking back to back fights against Johnny Walker, Pereira was fighting top guys at LHW on short notice.

I agree he is getting good fights, but it's like you forget that he is taking short notice fights against people whilst Ank fights once a year.

Ank was active in 2022 and got a title shot, same thing happened to Islam when he was active back in the day. These guys fight so little they get looked over by other fighters who build momentum. Ank could be in the same position if he would fight more regularly and didn't take 9+ months between fights.
He has sat out since Jan just to fight on this Abu Dhabi card a week after Alex fights again.

You can make whatever excuses you want, Alex has clearly had an easier path than others. I didn't even have a problem with him getting a title shot, my issue is with you arguing than Ank needs to do more while at the same time making excuses for your favorite fighters. Ank is on the longest win streak, has the best wins, and is the highest ranked, there's no excuse for him not getting the title shot. He beat Khalil's best win 2 years ago when Smith was ranked top 5 and he did it quicker..

 

[CatchtheseHands]

I believe Alex. I don't see any reason for him to be scared of Ank. He definitely smokes him in the stand up, the only thing that is a threat would be the wrestling, and I'm very, very certain Glover would not let Alex go into that fight unprepared to deal with it.