Magomed Ankalaev might have coincidentally finished a favor for interim UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall when he beat Alex Pereira within the UFC 313 important occasion.
Previous to the occasion, Pereira had teased a attainable transfer to heavyweight sooner or later after fielding loads of questions on a possible showdown towards Jon Jones. In fact, Aspinall has been impatiently ready on his personal alternative to face Jones to unify the UFC heavyweight title however a Pereira win over Ankalaev might have probably messed with these plans.
In the long run, Ankalaev vanquished Pereira through the five-round struggle, though there have been just a few cries that the Brazilian deserved to get the nod that evening. It’s an argument that Aspinall completely doesn’t perceive irrespective of how a lot that struggle might have doubtlessly impacted his future.
“I can’t consider folks watched that struggle and thought that Pereira gained,” Aspinall advised JNMediaUK on YouTube. “It was simply wild to me what number of uneducated followers are on the market and what number of uneducated followers thought it was a boring struggle as effectively.
“I assumed it was an incredible struggle, each guys did good. However I feel Ankalaev was only a lot higher than him on the evening. That’s it.”
Whereas Ankalaev didn’t essentially come near a end, he constantly pissed off Pereira together with his ahead aggression, takedown makes an attempt and fixed strain that simply by no means allowed the Brazilian to settle into any sort of rhythm.
Aspinall was very impressed with Ankalaev’s technique as a result of for all of the speak about his grappling superiority within the struggle, he didn’t actually even have to take Pereira right down to beat him.
“I feel Ankalaev simply had him guessing loads,” Aspinall stated. “I feel Pereira’s degree on the bottom, I don’t know what degree he’s at, however I feel he’s nonetheless a bit cautious of getting taken down. He undoubtedly defended the takedowns effectively however me with an informed eye watching it, I don’t assume Ankalaev was actually making an attempt to take him down that a lot. He undoubtedly tried a few instances. I feel he did 10 or 11 takedown makes an attempt however I’d say solely two or three of them he went full blast.
“I feel the remainder of the time, he was making an attempt to tire him out with the grappling standing, just like the cage grappling stuff. I feel Ankalaev had the proper recreation plan. He didn’t overcommit, drained him out.”
The loss ended Pereira’s five-fight win streak at mild heavyweight and prevented him from a fourth consecutive protection of his title.
That struggle might have additionally successfully ended any hope that Pereira may transfer to heavyweight in hopes that he might arrange a champ versus champ matchup towards Jones. That clearly clears any attainable impediment for Aspinall however he’ll additionally take nothing away from Pereira and the unbelievable run he’s been on recently.
“He can do no matter he desires,” Aspinall stated about Pereira. “He’s an absolute megastar. I feel there’s fights to be made at middleweight, mild heavy or heavy, he can do no matter he desires.”
So far as his personal curiosity in going through Pereira, Ankalaev or anyone else for that matter, Aspinall makes it clear that he solely has one purpose in thoughts and nothing goes to discourage him from that.
“I simply need to struggle for an undisputed title,” Aspinall stated. “I’m not bothered who it’s towards.”
