Magomed Ankalaev shuts down talk of “overrated” Alex Pereira moving up to heavyweight: “He definitely has to face me first”

UFC contender Magomed Ankalaev has shut down talk of Alex Pereira making his way up to heavyweight.

As we know, Alex Pereira is on top of the world right now. He is the UFC light heavyweight champion and last weekend, he knocked out Jiri Prochazka to successfully defend the strap.

RELATED: Tom Aspinall says he’s “more than happy” to welcome Alex Pereira to the heavyweight division

In the wake of that, there’s been a great deal of talk surrounding him possibly going up to heavyweight. If he did, he’d have the chance to become the first-ever three-weight champion in UFC history.

Magomed Ankalaev, meanwhile, who is campaigning for a title shot at 205 pounds, wants to face ‘Poatan’ first.

Ankalaev’s Pereira view

“It’s been a good run so far in UFC, 12 fights, and obviously Alex Pereira got up there – he had two, three fights (in the division) and he skyrocketed,” Ankalaev told MMA Junkie through an interpreter on Wednesday. “Now he holds the title and now I feel I deserve with all my past credentials to get a title shot. I’m definitely looking forward to this opportunity now.

“I don’t know why people are saying he’s going to move up to the actual heavyweight division. I don’t see that. As a guy who has no wrestling I think it’s going to be really hard for him. Maybe just one fight. But I think once he came up to light heavyweight, he went through the division, but I’m still there. He didn’t fight me. If you want to be the champion of the division I think he definitely has to face me first. Then maybe he can consider other moves.”
Magomed went on to talk about potential dates for his return, with UFC 308 in Abu Dhabi this October being mentioned.

“As of now we don’t have any certain dates set,” Ankalaev said. “I do not have any problems with visa right now, I have a valid visa, so if it’s going to be (in the U.S.) that’s one option. I would love it to be in Abu Dhabi, that’s a better place for me.”

Quotes via MMA Junkie

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