After a completely dominant 2024, UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira is hopeful he can replicate his fortunes in the new year.
In 2024, the UFC light heavyweight champion emerged as the promotion's biggest star, defending his title three times across three major events.
Alex Pereira ended the year as Fighter of the Year, which was debated by some fans who felt Ilia Topuria had done enough to receive the award.
Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC
Alex Pereira claims Magomed Ankalaev won't be next
Following his last title defense against Khalil Rountree Jr, 'Poatan' teased a possible move to heavyweight after champion Jon Jones said he would rather fight the Brazilian than interim champion Tom Aspinall.
The potential of that fight seemed to take off as fans started salivating at the thought of it and Jones and Pereira continued to express their desire for it.
Despite this, UFC CEO Dana White subsequently claimed that Jones' next fight should be against Aspinall as he is the permanent interim champion.
And with that, it was assumed that the 37-year-old's next light heavyweight title defense would come against Magomed Ankalaev, as he had previously been denied.
The Russian is on a 13-fight unbeaten streak and has secured the number one spot in the 205lb division, but despite this, Pereira has shockingly claimed he won't be next.
It won't be Ankalaev! 😭
— Alex “Poatan” Pereira (@AlexPereiraUFC) December 19, 2024
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Joe Rogan gives reasons why Pereira vs. Ankalaev won't be next
While Ankalaev will be hopeful that 'Poatan' is joking and just trying to get under his skin, UFC commentator Joe Rogan has offered up a possible reason why that fight might not be next.
“Pereira has challengers in the light heavyweight division, especially Ankalaev,” Rogan said on The Joe Rogan Experience.
“He should fight Ankalaev, Ankalaev is damned very dangerous and he is the number one contender and he has been on a winning streak for a long time, he has only one draw and that was against Jan Blachowicz who is the former champion.
“He's at the top of the list and has been waiting for a title shot for a long time, but he's been talking a lot and Alex doesn't like him talking nonsense, so he's like f**king him and making him wait. Alex just said he's going to fight in March and he's not going to fight Ankalaev.
'If he fights in March, when is Ramadan? So he wouldn't be able to fight, Ankalaev wouldn't be able to fight in March… That's right in the period when (Pereira) wants to fight,” Rogan said.
There were recently rumors that the promotion was considering a light heavyweight title fight between Pereira and Khamzat Chimaev, but that does not appear to be the case.
Pereira also recently teased that he will be in Australia in February and that UFC 312 is scheduled for the same time. That led to speculation that he could fight Carlos Ulberg next, but that also appears to be untrue.
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