Magomed Ankalaev is doing his finest to speak his second-career Final Combating Championship (UFC) title shot into existence.
Because the streaking No. 2-ranked contender within the Gentle Heavyweight division, Ankalaev admittedly shouldn’t must do any speaking at this stage. Nevertheless, he is aware of it’s part of the enterprise.
Ankalaev, 32, had his first UFC title shot when he battled former champion, Jan Blachowicz, in December 2022. Sadly for every, the vacant title tilt resulted in a break up draw that left them on the skin wanting in because the promotion desperately sought the placeholder for the injured Jiri Prochazka. Quick ahead to the current day and Brazil’s Alex Pereira has grow to be a blended martial arts (MMA) anomaly, holding 205-pound gold. After dispatching the previous champions Prochazka (twice) and Jamahal Hill, the Ankalaev pairing makes all of the sense for the “Poatan’s” subsequent title protection.
“@AlexPereiraUFC evaded me for a cause, and I do perceive that is enterprise @ufc finest battle the perfect and he’s the perfect for now I’ll maintain my work,” Ankalaev tweeted. “I’ll knock him out. @Mickmaynard2 @danawhite nothing higher than you’ve seen an occasion anyone going to sleep.
“Finish of the yr he’ll be laying on his again wanting on the gentle and ask his nook, are we again in Brazil this can be a promise. I’ll knock him out,” he concluded.
Two fights in opposition to Johnny Walker have adopted the Blachowicz conflict for Ankalaev. Nonetheless shaking off the dangerous luck of his title tilt’s final result, Ankalaev vs. Walker 1 ended through no contest after an unlawful knee to Walker in spherical one (watch highlights). The identical couldn’t be mentioned for the rematch, as Ankalaev put Walker away with strikes in spherical two (watch highlights).