Magomed Ankalaev has lately been viewed as the likeliest to receive the next title shot against UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira. Nevertheless, with Pereira being booked to defend his title against Khalil Rountree Jr., Ankalaev has opened up about being leap-frogged in the title picture.
UFC 308 is scheduled to transpire at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, U.A.E., in October. A light heavyweight bout between Ankalaev and Aleksandar Rakic was one of the notable matchups announced for the card. It elicited criticism from some, who argued that Ankalaev should’ve instead been granted a title shot against Pereira.
UFC CEO Dana White subsequently announced that Alex Pereira would defend his UFC light heavyweight championship against Khalil Rountree Jr. Their fight will headline UFC 307 at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S.A., just three weeks before UFC 308.
With the Ankalaev-Rakic and Pereira-Rountree Jr. matchups officially confirmed, certain sections of the MMA community suggested that Ankalaev was unfairly denied a deserved title shot.
Ankalaev, who’s consistently maintained that he’d handily beat Pereira, has tagged Dana White and UFC matchmaker Mick Maynard on X and vowed to earn a title fight. The light heavyweight contender wrote:
“I Received a lot of messages today regarding the Light Heavyweight title fight, my job is to smash people’s face who they put in front of me, I will destroy Rakic in Abu Dhabi and I will not be denied, I don’t need nobody to feel bad for me @danawhite @Mickmaynard2”
Meanwhile, former UFC light heavyweight champion Jamahal Hill tweeted that the Pereira-Rountree matchup is “terrible for the sport” and makes the rankings redundant. Hill, who lost to ‘Poatan’ via first-round KO in April 2024, alluded that Rountree has been accorded a title shot despite his recent drug test-related suspension.
Magomed Ankalaev issues warning to Aleksandar Rakic and future opponents, lambasts former UFC champion
In the immediate aftermath of the Magomed Ankalaev-Aleksandar Rakic fight announcement for UFC 308, Ankalaev touched upon being passed over in the title picture.
Maintaining a positive outlook, the 32-year-old emphasized that he’ll beat any opponent thrown his way by UFC matchmaker Mick Maynard, adding that they can’t deny him a title shot anymore. Moreover, Ankalaev ominously asserted that he feels sorry for his future opponents.
Furthermore, Ankalaev has now lambasted former UFC light heavyweight champion Jiri Prochazka, claiming that the latter should never talk about a title shot. Ankalaev seemingly jibed at Prochazka’s persona and his pair of TKO defeats against Pereira, writing:
“There is one guy who should never talk about title shot again is Jiri “Fake Ninja” Projaska, he is 4-2 in the UFC and he is still sleeping from Alex last 2 fights”
