Magomed Ankalaev said he’s “agreed instantly” to a rematch with Alex Pereira for his first defense of the UFC light heavyweight title, and it’s up to “Poatan” to agree to a new five-round fight.
Ankalaev received a hero’s welcome in his return to Dagestan after claiming the UFC belt in Las Vegas, headlining UFC 313 against the popular Brazilian. He told the local media he’s currently in negotiations with the promotion to decide his next step in the division.
“The negotiations are ongoing,” Ankalaev said. “At the moment I don’t know who will be next for me, but we agreed instantly if they want a rematch. We are ready.”
Pereira was a prominent figure in the UFC after a rapid rise in the organization with several impressive finishes. Ankalaev admits he felt external pressure and attempts to challenge him through comments and delays in title opportunities.
“We understand that for a long time they were trying to break us mentally, there were some games against me, but we decided not to stop and keep going forward,” Ankalaev said. “It’s an example for those who want to achieve something not to stop, to keep going forward and everything will work out.”
Ankalaev is currently undefeated in his last 14 octagon appearances, which includes wins over Aleksandar Rakic, Johnny Walker, Anthony Smith, Thiago Santos and Volkan Oezdemir. Now a UFC champion, Ankalaev thanked the hundreds of people who welcomed him back to Makhachkala after his successful trip to Las Vegas.
“I want to sincerely thank all of you for coming here, for your support,” Ankalaev said. “I really appreciate it. I felt it when I was in the USA, where everybody was rooting for my opponent, I knew that back at home everybody would root for me. It gave me big motivation. So I want to thank you all for being with me. May Allah give you good health, and may we all be united in Dagestan.”
