Magomed Ankalaev Promises 'Firefight' in Potential Championship Clash vs. Alex Pereira

Magomed Ankalaev believes he has done his part to receive No. 1 contender status in the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s light heavyweight division.

The 31-year-old Gorets Fight Team member got some much-needed closure on Saturday night, when he knocked out Johnny Walker 2:42 into Round 2 of their headlining encounter at UFC Fight Night 234. Not only was it a more satisfying conclusion for Ankalaev than their first meeting, which ended via no contest, but it also made a statement about the Dagestani’s overall skill set — one that could make reigning 205-pound champion Alex Pereira take notice.

“I could have come out here today and wrestled against Johnny Walker. I could have taken him down right away and won with my ground-and-pound on the ground, but instead I wanted to send a message. I wanted to stand up and I wanted to knock him out, and that’s what I did,” Ankalaev said through a translator at the UFC Fight Night 234 post-fight press conference.

“Now, for Glover Teixeira, I have a message. Don’t waste your time trying to teach your student how to wrestle or grapple, he’s not going to need it. I’m going to come out there, I’m going to stand across from him, and I know that he’s been knocked out before as a middleweight so imagine what’s going to happen if I meet him in light heavyweight. Trust me, he’s not going to feel comfortable there.”

Great knockout. We will see u soon. #UFCFightNight

— glover teixeira (@gloverteixeira) January 14, 2024

Ankalaev is unbeaten in his last 13 Octagon appearances, with the no contest against Walker and a draw with Jan Blachowicz as the only blemishes on his ledger during that time. It’s currently unclear if Jamahal Hill, who had to vacate the belt after rupturing his Achilles tendon, will be next in line for a title shot when he returns to full health. Ankalaev thinks he should be above Hill in the championship pecking order.

“I think here the math works out, the way that I’m more deserving of the belt because I have 10 victories, six of them knockouts, and Jamahal Hill has eight fights total in the UFC,” Ankalaev said. “So it’s just clear that I’m a more deserving contender than Jamahal Hill.”

Perhaps more importantly, Ankalaev has vowed to put on a show if he receives his desired championship opportunity.

“I’ve been considering myself the champ since that fight [against Blachowicz at UFC 282],” Ankalaev said. “For whatever reason, the judges decided that it was going to be a draw and I didn’t get my chance. Now I have a chance again to fight for the title.

“So if I get to fight against Pereira, I think we’re going to have a great fight,” he added. “It’s going to be a firefight, it’s going to be an exciting fight, and we’re going to do our job and I’m going to get my title back because I’m already feeling like a champion.”