According to the manager of Magomed Ankalaev, Alex Pereira has thanked the UFC for his light heavyweight reign.
Pereira enjoyed a record increase to the ranks of second division champions in the UFC and claimed both the middleweight and the light heavyweight titles in its first two years on the largest stage in MMA.
While the Brazilian was unable to include a successful defense in the middleweight, he pushed many challenges past the throne at 205 pounds. After Pereira Jiri Prochazka had eliminated on UFC 295 to win the title, he retained the belt three times with victories over Jamahal Hill, Procazka in their Rematch and Khalil Rountree Jr.
But according to the manager of the man who eventually fired him, Pereira's performance at Light Heavyweight was completely 'developed' by the UFC Higher-Up.
Ali Abdelaziz says that UFC 'Engineered' Alex Pereira's title line 'Alex Pereira regime by sniffing Magomed Ankalaev
Appeared on the poundcast of Pound 4 pound, organized by two of his hunters in Kamaru Usman and Henry Cejudo, Ali Abdelaziz spoke about the crowning of Ankalaev this year.
The Dominance MMA CEO said it had long since come, largely due to the UFC “sandbags” De Dagestani with repeated title shot snubs.
If Ankalaev had a chance when Abdelaziz believes that it was earned for the first time, the Egyptian manager insists that Pereiras would have been impossible to reach the two -division status.
“Alex Pereira, it's designed,” said Abdelaziz. “The UFC has some of the best matchmakers in the world; they have the best spirits.
“I think, just like you (Usman), you should have been three fights before you moisture for the title. It is designed not to get you because of your style of fighting, maybe your personality.
“I think Alex is a good hunter. I think he is a real hunter,” Abdelaziz continued. “But Ankalaev should have been the champion two or three years ago. Alex should never have been the champion … It should have been Ankalaev's time. Hunter Campbell, Mick Maynard, all UFC – they were all sandbags. They pray (for him) to lose.
“If they fight again … It will get worse for Alex … He fought a whole series of mediocre strikers. Ankalaev, he can struggle, he can struggle, he can strike.”
Alex Pereira says he fought with stricter opponents than Magomed Ankalaev
Pereira would probably have something to say about the assessment of Abdelaziz, especially after what he recently said about his collision with Ankalaev.
During an interview with the Schmo at the end of June, Pereira said that he fought harder opposition than Ankalaev, despite how their fight unfolded earlier this year in Las Vegas.
“I absolutely fought against stricter opponents,” Pereira kept full. “The situation itself on that day (UFC 313), the circumstances, made him a hard opponent.
“But I certainly have fought people much more difficult than him.”
In the same discussion, Pereira repeated that a rematch with the champion is the next and will probably take place in October.