Ankalaev is ahead of Pereira all time at LHW

[EnthusiastCultivator]

This win was ELITE AF by Ankalaev, who already has a very stacked resume:

Pereira
Rakic
Walker
Volkan
Krylov (aged very well)
Santos
Smith (at the time a good win as Smith was on a win streak)


Much better than Pereira’s:

Jiri 2x (1st fight was a terrible stoppage in a fight Prochazka was winning )

Jamahal Hill
Jan Blachowicz (controversial)
Khalil Rountree


But ultimately Ank beat Poatan, which puts him ahead.

And no, having more title defenses does not matter much when you got a title coming of a controversial win and winning the title in a controversial manner.


This changes if he beats him in a rematch, but historically speaking, title fight rematches almost always go to the original winner.

 

[EnthusiastCultivator]

As it stands at LHW all time rankings imo:

Jones
Chuck
DC
Tito
Shogun
Machida
Ankalaev
Pereira
Shad
Rampage

 

[andgonsil]

Pereira beat 3 champs

 

[Marko Polo]

Ankalaev has a better resume because he beat Pereira and Pereira has never beaten anyone as good as Pereira. Or something

 

[EnthusiastCultivator]

Pereira beat 3 champs

Which makes him great, but not quite as good as Ank whom he just lost to

 

[KAZSoliloquy]

no not yet. he needs title defenses.

 

[Arm Barbarian]

Next up, Ankalaev is the GOAT threads.

 

[Schoolboy Q]

I don’t even have Alex in my top 10 LHW’s ever.

 

[MrBlackheart]

Pereira beat 3 champs

Or you can phrase that Ank beat the guy that beat 3 champs. MMA is full of 1/2 truths.

 

[Qays Stetkevich]

Which makes him great, but not quite as good as Ank whom he just lost to

Who is "greater" is debatable, although Ank just beat the "Great", so that's a point in his favor. But as far as who the better fighter was, Ank was on that night, and that's what he have to go by/how this sport and sports in general work. Right now, Ank is better. I don't think careers should be compared until they're both over, though.