Media Whittaker says Pereira is no longer the boogeyman and implies he lost his mystique after 313

[Sean Chowdhury]

 

[TempleoftheDog]

I like Whittaker.

But even after Jan beat Izzy. Wasn’t it another three, or four fights until Alex beat Izzy?

Iirc Whittaker was one of those three losses?

No.. That’s bullshit, and I don’t respect his opinion on THIS matter.

 

[laleggenda27]

It sounds like he's talking from Ankalaev's perspective, in which case I would agree with him. The narrative going into the fight was that Ankalaev's only path to victory was grappling. But now he knows that he can stand with Alex for 25 minutes and still win.

 

[Motivated BJ Penn]

But Alex didnt even touch Big Ank tho

 

[MrBlackheart]

Wait a minute Bob, didn’t you say that Pereira is an animal striking and you picked him to win?

 

[Pequeño Corey]

I’d love to watch Bobby thump up Strickland and Georgia Chad Dolidze back to back

 

[Pancake Sprawl]

how was he ever the boogeyman? Adesanya KO'd him stiff, a guy everyone makes fun of as a closeted gay, dog molesting, anime weeb Grace Jones looking motherfucker.

 

[WoozyFailGuy]

But Alex didnt even touch Big Ank tho

That's the thing, he never landed a real kill shot. He barely had any head strikes in the fight in general.
Bobby babblin.

 

[RockyLockridge]

that Ankalaev's only path to victory was grappling.

hmmm but it was kinda the grappling that won ankalaev the fight, just pressing alex against the cage was good optics for him.

 

[broc5k]

I mean yeah it's just like when Mike Tyson lost to Buster Douglas. Still feared for sure, but no longer the untouchable boogeyman, he became beatable.

 

[MisfitsBR]

I mean, for the moment Pereira do lost a little of "aura" by losing, normal

but he almost didn't punched Ank at all, I still feel that Alex can knock him out

but Ank showed that he has speed and some power too, so will not be that easy

 

[TITS]

Worry about your next fight instead, Robert.

 

[TITS]

I’d love to watch Bobby thump up Strickland and Georgia Chad Dolidze back to back

Dolidze would be a good match up for him, Strickland would jab him silly.

 

[Only Here for Attachments]

Out of character butthurt take by Rob, but okay...

 

[BabyBlue_Bomber]

I was surprised Ankalaev was able to get the W over Pereira, and would still pick Pereira in a rematch, but anyone with critical thinking skills already knew Pereira wasn’t invincible…

He had a tough fight with Blachowicz and was KOed by Adesanya. Prior to that, he was even down on the cards when he beat Adesanya for the title…

 

[ThaiSexPills]

he should be

 

[MDoza]

I’m still picking Pereira in the rematch.

He simply never got off. He was rocked early in the second round and then got saved by the bell. Pretty sure it affected him until round 5.

I don’t think he waits to throw in a rematch.

 

[Arm Barbarian]

To a degree, perhaps.

But I don't think that was peak Poatan we saw there in the Ankalaev fight.

He looked off to me. No urgency to win.

Reminded me of Strickland in the second DDP match.

Both guys seemed to just be there to collect a check, and literally threw a handful of punches for the entire 25 minutes.

If Alex repeats the same performance, then I'd say he's either finally had age catch up to him, or he no longer has that fire in him.

 

[BjPenn2017]

He’s not wrong it’s something that has been seen time and time again in MMA, also Pereira came to point fight and Big Ank came looking for the big KO.. but it’s hard to KO a guy who keeps running from you

 

[laleggenda27]

hmmm but it was kinda the grappling that won ankalaev the fight, just pressing alex against the cage was good optics for him.

The clinch work was definitely crucial. But the point remains: Ankalaev now knows that even if Alex stuffs all of his takedowns, he can still neutralize Alex's striking and win the fight. That was not the narrative going into their first fight.