Realistically speaking, when do you see Ankalaev getting the title shot?

[lewisnerbaska]

Do you think he gets it Spring next year, after Roundree? Or do you think he will be forced to fight Jiri and Jan, while Pereira fights Jones and DDP? He is on a 12 fight winning streak, he should have gotten multiple title shots already if the UFC was fair.

Sadly I see it going like this:

Pereira beats Roundree, and jones beats Miocic. Jones and Pereira fight in spring for the HW belt, as Jon jones retirement fight. Pereira loses, but in fall next year fights DDP for the LHW belt, which he wins. Then, finally, Ank will probably get his title shot spring 2026. This is what is likely to happen sadly.

 

[VinceArch]

Hopefully before the first half of the year. He really needs to make a statement and then scare Dana like Stipe did after beating Arlovski.

 

[don't ask]

Alex isn't going to have to go far for non-Ankalaev fights when there are two more fighters below Rountree in the top ten and then five more in the top fifteen. Ankalaev worked himself into the number one spot like a fool.

 

[lewisnerbaska]

Alex isn't going to have to go far for non-Ankalaev fights when there are two more fighters below Rountree in the top ten and then five more in the top fifteen. Ankalaev worked himself into the number one spot like a fool.

If I was Ank, I would go to HW and become champ there.

 

[Khaosan]

Hopefully never.

 

[don't ask]

If I was Ank, I would go to HW and become champ there.

Nah, we don't need a second interim belt while Tom waits to fight Jones and Jones waits for the easiest match-ups possible to build his legacy.

 

[theincognito]

Possibly never. Rakic is no joke. He was beating the breaks off Jiri at 300.

 

[NoSmilez]

When is the next UAE or Saudi event in 2025? I think Alex's run ends with Ank. Ank fights in America but he is most likely going to be a PPV stinker. The promotion might as well use him to headline a Middle East card that doesn't generate PPV revenue since the local government pays for the event.

Who knows? Ank has to fight Rakic. We might have a new contender after that match.

 

[laleggenda27]

Assuming Ankalaev beats Rakic, if:

1. Jones/Stipe ends up fighting Aspinall; and
2. Alex beats Khalil,

then I could see Alex vs. Ankalaev. But if either of the above fails to happen, Ankalaev is pretty much screwed.

 

[Petarito]

People forget that Ankalaev had his shot and failed. Stop crying about it. Krep winning and another shot is inevitable

This being said his fight with Rakic is 50:50

 

[filthybliss]

If he beats Rakic, who is left ahead of him for it? Hill and Prochazaka need to get a contender fight in before another title shot for it to make sense.

 

[Blanqa Blanqua]

If he beats Rakic, who is left ahead of him for it? Hill and Prochazaka need to get a contender fight in before another title shot for it to make sense.

Roundtree if he loses to Poatan

 

[RockyLockridge]

Hopefully before the first half of the year. He really needs to make a statement and then scare Dana like Stipe did after beating Arlovski.

first half of the year has ramadan. so if march or april line up for alex again and the UFC needs him he will get passed over again. either way, from October, he will either need it to be a quick turn around for february, or a slow turn around for june

 

[Pequeño Corey]

I think it depends on how he performs against Rakic. If it’s a boring snooze fest or a contentious splitty city, he might not be next.

 

[Jackonfire]

He already had a title shot and basically lost. Then he rage quit the UFC for about 36 hours before realizing no one cared. If he gets by Rakic then he has unfinished business with Jan.

 

[Brigfa2]

He probably need to win 4-5 fights in a row after losing to Rakic

 

[Koala]

He has to beat Rakic first
If so, he has to show he is title shot worthy by beating Blachowicz
Beating Blachowicz will enable him to fight with Jamahal Hill
If he beats Hill, he can fight Prochazka
Once he has beaten Prochazka, he can fight the new guy for the belt as Pereira will be 40 yo and retired

 

[muaythaibeast]

If I was Ank, I would go to HW and become champ there.

Who do you think Ank would beat in the top 10 at heavyweight? I think you're overrating him massively.

 

[World eater]

Ank is already looking past Rakić, which could be costly. On one hand, I want Rakić to win because he is a local favourite and a nice guy, on the other hand, I want to see Alex - Ank badly. I have a strange feeling Ank gets stopped by Rakić.

 

[CatchtheseHands]

He just got a TS 2 fights ago and hasn't done anything to try and work himself back in other than KO'ing Johnny Walker and running his mouth about how Alex is ducking him. He'll get a TS when the UFC feels he's done enough or once they are out of other options, although he probably is next after Rountree. No idea where Ank gets his sense of entitlement from, especially as a dude who has never held a belt and has zero wins over any top 5 guy.