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Pereira will knock out Ankalaev easily

MarioLemieux

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Ankalaev does not have great grappling. Just because he is from Dagestan does not make him a grappler he trained as a striker even doing Sambo. No offensive grappling.

Periera does have way better striking though and all rounds start standing.

Pereira wins this 9 out of 10 times.
 
You're right Ankalaev doesn't have great grappling but you don't need great grappling to take Alex down. Jiri and Izzy attempted their first takedown attempt in their UFC career against Alex and successfully took him down. Ankalaev took down Krylov and Jan, if he can't take Alex down at all I would be very surprised. Ankalaev also mentioned in the DC interview that he's training with an olympic wrestler, so he is clearly going into the alex fight with a gameplan of taking him down regardless of what he says online
 
may knock him out, but don't know about the 'easily' part. ankalaev's been doing this for a while now, probably not going to just wade in.
 
As already said, Pereira got taken down by Izzy and Jiri, both of whom are far worse offensive grapplers than Ankalaev. We need only look at Alex's fight vs Jan to suddenly feel concerned about how his fight with Ankalaev might go. Alex was very lucky to be given that decision, and in the first round, was taken down and out grappled by Jan. I maintain that if that fight hadn't been at altitude, and they both hadn't gassed, Jan would have continued to do that to him for the whole fight.

I'm sure Pereira has been training and improving his grappling defense, but until I actually see him demonstrate it in a fight, it's hard for me not to worry about his chances vs a guy like Ankalaev who seems to be more than capable of taking him down.

I'm rooting for Alex big time. I hope he knocks Ankalaev out, but I'm far from convinced he'll be able to keep the fight standing. Alex has had some pretty favourable matchmaking, and even though Ankalaev is still more of a striker than he is a grappler, this is perhaps the first time he's facing a guy that isn't an alright stylistic match-up for him.
 
"Easily" lol, Pereira didn't even knock out Jan or Bruno Silva but he'll "easily" put away Ankalaev who has barely been hurt in the UFC.

Even Rountree didn't go down easily.
Older fights Pereira's way better at MMA at this point. He's improved rapidly. Ankalaev has weak top control, subs and takedowns. He's just going to eventually get knocked out.
 
Older fights Pereira's way better at MMA at this point. He's improved rapidly.
There's literally no evidence that he's way better at MMA now. His fights have consistently been striking battles, where has always shined. The last time this wasn't the case was vs Jan, and Jan was easily outgrappling him until both guys gassed badly due to the altitude they were fighting at. I'd expect Alex has improved, but we have no evidence to confidently say that he has. No reason to think a guy like Ankalaev can't do exactly what Jan was doing.
 
There's literally no evidence that he's way better at MMA now. His fights have consistently been striking battles, where has always shined. The last time this wasn't the case was vs Jan, and Jan was easily outgrappling him until both guys gassed badly due to the altitude they were fighting at. I'd expect Alex has improved, but we have no evidence to confidently say that he has. No reason to think a guy like Ankalaev can't do exactly what Jan was doing.

The guy is training grappling daily with Glover Teixeira. You'd have to be a spaz to not improve doing so and Alex is obviously far from that. He hasn't had to showcase his grappling because his stand-up is so good and most LHWs don't grapple (Ank included). That doesn't mean he's plateaued in his grappling skills from a few years back.
 
Older fights Pereira's way better at MMA at this point. He's improved rapidly. Ankalaev has weak top control, subs and takedowns. He's just going to eventually get knocked out.

"weak top control" he controlled Jan pretty well in the later rounds of their fight. The takedown might not be easy to get but Pereira will absolutely get controlled there if Ankalaev chooses to go that route.

People keep dismissing Ankalaev's grappling just because he doesn't make it the focal point of his game. But he absolutely has that in his back pocket and he will use it vs Pereira regardless of any pre-fight hype statements he makes.
 
He is a better grappler than anyone Pereira has fought though. Out grappled Jan easily and jan had success grappling against Alex. He's got clean boxing too, probably as dangerous as hill and jiri but has better fundamentals and defense than those guys
 
"weak top control" he controlled Jan pretty well in the later rounds of their fight. The takedown might not be easy to get but Pereira will absolutely get controlled there if Ankalaev chooses to go that route.

People keep dismissing Ankalaev's grappling just because he doesn't make it the focal point of his game. But he absolutely has that in his back pocket and he will use it vs Pereira regardless of any pre-fight hype statements he makes.
How many finishes does Ank have from grappling (not just follow up GNP after dropping someone)?

A lot of the fight will be standing. Ank will get clipped standing at some point. Almost inevitable.
 
Naw. This will easily be his biggest test to date.

Would love to see him starch Ankalaev, but I'm not confident at all.
 
How many finishes does Ank have from grappling (not just follow up GNP after dropping someone)?

A lot of the fight will be standing. Ank will get clipped standing at some point. Almost inevitable.

What does finishing have to do with anything? Ankalaev could turn this into the ugliest most boring fight you've ever seen and win 49-46 on the cards.
 
What does finishing have to do with anything? Ankalaev could turn this into the ugliest most boring fight you've ever seen and win 49-46 on the cards.
So you're saying Ankalaev's path to victory is to survive five rounds which all start standing and win a boring decision? I think he'll get knocked out at some point and a lot of the fight will be standing. Ank said he would stand with Alex and knock out Alex standing which either means he's delusional or trying to play psychological games.
 

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