Magomed Ankalaev has only been given one career loss on the way to claim UFC -Gouden undisputed.
Magomed Ankalaev had to wait a few years for his chance to finally fight for the UFC Light Heavyweight title, but he finally got that shot at UFC 313 last Saturday.
The 32-year-old Russian took the chance with both hands, successfully the UFC star, Alex Pereira, successfully postponed in five rounds.
Immediately after the fight, Ankalaev criticized Pereira's performance and claimed that he 'walked away' for 25 minutes, and the statistics showed that Pereira landed only 11 heads, the entire fight strikes.
Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC
Paul Craig responds to Ankalaev's UFC title against Alex Pereira
Ankalaev had to wait longer than most of his chance to fight for a title, despite collecting an undefeated streak of 13-Fecht.
The only loss of his professional career of the Russian came in 2018 in his UFC debut against Paul Craig. After he had already dominated the Scottish hunter for 15 minutes, Ankalaev was captured in an entry at the end of the fight, which resulted in a shocking tap and from behind victory for Craig.
Since then, their career has gone in opposite directions because Craig has difficulty staying at the top, while Ankalaev has shown his dominance time and time again.
Although the Russian has won the UFC Light Heavyweight title, Craig claimed that Ankalaev 'has not changed in 2018 in 2018'.
“Ankalaev, I thought very well,” Craig began to explain to his podcast, Leather'd.
“It was inevitable, I said this last week, I said Ankalaev (would win) … I thought it was a good fight, I know people are not happy with Ankalaev (champion).
“I have defeated some names, man. Beating Ankalaev is only for one specific man. What you have to do is think he wins … That victory becomes sweeter every time this guy fights.
“I don't think he's a changed hunter since I fought against him, I think he's almost the same, I don't think you're looking at him and think he's enormously better,” Craig said.
Magomed Ankalaev already in negotiations for a rematch with Pereira
Immediately after the fight, UFC Baas admitted, Dana White admitted that a rematch 'probably' will happen and Pereira promised that he will make adjustments to the next fight.
Now only a few days away from their collision, Ankalaev has revealed that he is already in negotiations for the Rematch, where the promotion seems to try to get it done as quickly as possible.
Now 37 years old, some hunters believe that the time of Pereira could have come to an end and that his lifestyle has overtaken him, but he will undoubtedly enjoy the opportunity to again remain the doubts with his next outing.
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