Alex Pereira backed to put on ‘markedly different’ performance in Magomed Ankalaev rematch by ex-UFC champion

Robert Whittaker does not think that Alex Pereira was at his best against Magomed Ankalaev.

Last month the light heavyweight title was on the line in the UFC 313 headliner between Champ Pereira and top candidate Ankalaev. In the course of five rounds, Ankalaev Pereira has surpassed the feet, remotely in the conflict and with the threat of the Takedown.

Alex Pereira, a proven knockout artist, looked in 25 minutes, not where he fulfilled his full potential against Ankalaev in the striking exchanges.

After the fight, after Joe Rogan claimed that he had broken his hand and had previously had Norovirus, Pereira admitted that he was not 100% healthy, but did not reveal the extent of his problems that he could have prevented from fighting Ankalaev.

Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC

Robert Whittaker thinks that 'very real' problems stop Alex Pereira

With the lack of top candidates in the light heavyweight division and Alex Pereira perhaps the biggest draw in the UFC today, all signs seem to suggest a rematch with Ankalaev.

If so, former UFC Middleweight Champion Whittaker thinks we get a new life 'Patan'.

“His apologies are very real and everyone has preached it out of him,” Whittaker said about Pereira on the Mmarcade podcast.

“So maybe the next fight will be considerably different.

“There have been a huge number of times that I fought with legitimate apologies for why X, Y and Zed happened in the fight. It is such a difficult tricky position because you don't want to talk about it, but it is a really legitimate excuse.”

Robert Whittaker says that the apologies of hunters make your 'salt'

It is always difficult to determine what percentage a hunter is when they enter the Octagon after the hardships of the training camp, the wear that the body can have on Fight Night.

Things were not easier for Magomed Ankalaev, a practicing Muslim who fought during Ramadan.

Pereira was confronted with a number of problems for his last successful title defense against Khalil Rountree JR, who had to come through rounds of antibiotics, an wounded rib and an injured to the tootrament, he revealed after the victory, making the performance much greater.

“There are enough times fights fight with legitimate apologies,” explained Whittaker.

'You can't tell them [if you lose] But because you look because you look salt … “