Pereira will knock out Ankalaev easily

[svmr_db]

Ank said he could knock out Alex is standing and would keep it there which either means he's delusional or trying to play psychological games.

Try approaching the fight not as a fanboy of either guy and just look at the data, saying Ankalaev has to be delusional to think he can KO Pereira is pretty bizarre.

- Pereira has a lot more wear and tear on his body from already having a lengthy kickboxing career, multiple knockout losses & being 5 years older than Ankalaev
- Pereira was knocked out down at 185 vs a fighter who hits nowhere near as hard as Ankalaev

So yeah, I wouldn't say delusional. Either guy can win this fight no doubt but considering the amount of mileage Pereira has at 37 years old it's really not much of a stretch to see Ankalaev finishing him.

 

[Iroh]

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

I had argued this long ago, when Ank first said he would stand with Alex. I had to argue some SDers that it's likely just misdirection for Alex to take the fight and also to create some hype for the fight. Fighters have been doing bait and switch forever. Not that I think he won't stand at all, but he is clearly going to mix it up at the very least.

 

[SalvadorAllende]

Ankalaev needs the takedown. Dude can't defend a legkick to save his life and he is up against Alex.

 

[svmr_db]

Ankalaev needs the takedown. Dude can't defend a legkick to save his life and he is up against Alex.

Didn't Walker & Rakic attempt some kicks on him since then? I wouldn't count on him not being able to learn some lessons & make some adjustments after a fight 2+ years ago.

 

[Spacebadger]

2025 is the year that Dagestani falls.

 

[svmr_db]

2025 is the year that Dagestani falls.

Nah Usman Nurmagomedov is getting them back in the win column this weekend.

 

[MarioLemieux]

2025 is the year that Dagestani falls.

Team Khabib may get a couple losses here and there but they have by far the highest win rate in combat sports and have 30 up and coming killers. They will have a legacy that spans many years.

Ankalaev is not team Khabib though. I question his team tbh. His fight iq is pretty sub par.

 

[humdizzle]

it'll be interesting. Alex had a tough time with a true LHW like Blachowicz and couldn't sleep Rountree.

Jiri, as we have just figured out, is really a MW. And hill's chin is weak af.

I still favor Alex though. Ank's leg is gonna get chewed up and its downhill from there. If Ank wants to win he needs a chimaev gameplan

 

[svmr_db]

Alex mauls him.

Alex got mauled by Izzy and made him look like Khabib lol. Relax bud.

 

[Simple Southerner]

AP via anything he wants. This is his easiest ufc fight to date

 

[Epsteins Guard]

Ankalaev is so overrated. He barely won his last fight.

Alex mauls him.

And? This just makes you look as stupid as an inbred Dagestani. The rounds he won he barely won. Most of the people here have him only winning by one round. That's barely winning.

Inbred Dagestani?

 

[svmr_db]

AP via anything he wants. This is his easiest ufc fight to date

You should definitely bet on Pereira if you feel that way, he's currently the betting underdog.

 

[JBGuy420]

Inbred Dagestani?

Yes lol. There is an inbreeding problem in Dagestan. Especially among first cousins.

 

[Cobra 03]

Go Alex. Make it fast and brutal!

 

[chardog]

Hope Poatan puts on the clinic, he’s getting old, i want to see him ride it out with a few HW fights

 

[MarioLemieux]

Try approaching the fight not as a fanboy of either guy and just look at the data, saying Ankalaev has to be delusional to think he can KO Pereira is pretty bizarre.

- Pereira has a lot more wear and tear on his body from already having a lengthy kickboxing career, multiple knockout losses & being 5 years older than Ankalaev
- Pereira was knocked out down at 185 vs a fighter who hits nowhere near as hard as Ankalaev

So yeah, I wouldn't say delusional. Either guy can win this fight no doubt but considering the amount of mileage Pereira has at 37 years old it's really not much of a stretch to see Ankalaev finishing him.

I'm not even being a fanboy I just see Alex as 10 times the striker.

There's levels to this.

 

[MarioLemieux]

Hooker and Pereiera are both underdogs but that's a crazy parlay.

We don't know how Justin is going to respond from the KO and he's been getting rocked a lot he's shop worn. Hooker still seems durable.

 

[Epsteins Guard]

Yes lol. There is an inbreeding problem in Dagestan. Especially among first cousins.

Sounds like America, tbh.

 

[legedema]

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.

if he doesn't Grapple , he is fu...ed up.
if you watch the fight Ankalaev vs. Rakic , you can clearly see that even Rakic had better grappling.

hope I am wrong and hope that Ankalaev beats the shit our of Alex but without grappling , don't think it will happen

 

[kingmob6]

Ankalaev needs the takedown. Dude can't defend a legkick to save his life and he is up against Alex.

Lol. He did just fine defending leg kicks against rakic, who has nasty leg kicks, just ask jiri. These newb level narratives get out of hand.

Ank has very good striking, majority think he cant beat alex standing up, but i beg to differ