Daniel Cormier questions if the UFC is protecting Alex Pereira from Magomed Ankalaev: “Sometimes you got to protect that golden goose”

UFC commentator Daniel Cormier has questioned whether or not the promotion is protecting Alex Pereira from Magomed Ankalaev.

As we know, Alex Pereira is currently one of the biggest stars in mixed martial arts. He is the UFC light heavyweight champion, having formerly held the gold at middleweight. He is beating everyone who is being put in front of him, and he shows no sign of slowing down.

RELATED: Magomed Ankalaev continues to express huge confidence in striking with Alex Pereira

One man who has been touted to do well against him is Magomed Ankalaev. It’s a match-up that has been proposed a lot by fans and as time goes on, it becomes even more intriguing to consider.

In a recent episode of his podcast, Daniel Cormier gave his thoughts on Pereira/Ankalaev.

Cormier questions Pereira/Ankalaev

“Can I be honest with you?” Cormier asked rhetorically. “I think this is, and I don’t know why Pereira is not fighting Ankalaev. I don’t know why that’s not happening. What I do like is that now Ankalaev has to pass another test. Because what the UFC is kind of saying here is we’ve got this star. And we know that this guy here could be a real potential issue for that star. They will fight eventually, but they will fight when we have no other option. And I like it. I like it.”

“I don’t think you run the risk yet,” Cormier said. “And I’m not saying Pereira can’t fight or beat Ankalaev. I just feel like it is a very very difficult matchup, possibly the hardest matchup for him in the entire light heavyweight division. So I think he has to wait right, or you get him in there with someone else right now that’s a striker. Because all these strikers he’s just knocking out left and right, and every time he does that, Chael, his star just shines brighter.

“So maybe that is what happens for Alex Pereira, but I’m very rarely surprised when fights get announced. But I remember sitting in Manchester and they said UFC 308, and when I saw Rakic taking on Ankalaev, my jaw dropped. I was like, they actually did it. Like sometimes you got to protect that golden goose a little bit, and that’s kind of what it feels like.”

Quotes via Forbes

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