Alex Pereira will return after a five month break in March at UFC 313 where he’ll face No. 1 contender Magomed Ankalaev in what may be his stiffest test yet.
That fight was announced during UFC 311 in Los Angeles, and “Poatan” was on hand to enjoy the fights and speak about his latest challenge.
“I did say that I wanted to take a break, but I start training again, I start feeling good,” he told ESPN’s Megan Olivi backstage through his translator. “I start seeing my evolution. So I call my managers right away and I say, ‘I wanna fight. I wanna fight in March. I wanna fight Ankalaev.’”
“I know he keeps saying that I’m a just an employee of the UFC, I fight whenever they want. But I asked for him. I told them when I wanna fight.”
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There’s some controversy surrounding Pereira’s proposed date: Ankalaev is a practicing Muslim, and UFC 313 on March 8th lands one week into Ramadan, a holy month where he won’t be able to eat or drink until after sunset. While heavy training is usually over by a week before an event, Ankalaev will have to navigate fight week, weigh-ins, and fight day while observing Ramadan restrictions as best he can.
Maybe this is what “Poatan” meant when he said he planned on making things ‘a little bit harder’ for Ankalaev due to all the trash talk.
When it came to Magomed as an opponent, Alex didn’t build him up despite what many expect will be a significant advantage for the Russian fighter on the ground.
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“He’s as dangerous as any other fighter I’ve fought,” Pereira said. “Looking at him, the way that he fights, he’s an ordinary guy. Of course he has his weapons, has his dangers. But I’ve been training hard. I evolved a lot, and I’m ready for him.”
Also at UFC 311 was Pereira’s former two-time opponent Jiri Prochazka, who won his bout against Jamahal Hill via TKO in the third round (watch the highlights here). Despite already holding a 2-0 record over “BJP,” Pereira said he’d fight Prochazka again.
“I’m ready to fight anybody, it doesn’t matter who,” he said. “Right now, it’s Ankalaev’s time. I’m gonna fight Ankalaev. But after this fight, [if] everything’s doing good, we’re gonna give Jiri an opportunity. That’s what he said that he wants, and he’s gonna have it.”
