Alex Pereira: Fighting Magomed Ankalaev in Abu Dhabi 'Not Best for Me'

Alex Pereira doesn’t like the timing of a potential clash against Magomed Ankalaev in Abu Dhabi.

Pereira recently defended his light heavyweight title for the first time with a brutal Round 1 knockout win over Jamahal Hill in the main event at UFC 300. Ankalaev subsequently claimed that he was offered a title shot against “Poatan” at UFC 300 but turned it down as he was observing Ramadan. Ankalaev also called Pereira out for a clash in Abu Dhabi, which is considered home turf for many Russian fighters. In a post on social media, Ankalaev questioned Pereira’s chin and predicted a first-round knockout.

@AlexPereiraUFC vs me Abu Dhabi

— Magomed Ankalaev (@AnkalaevM) April 14, 2024

@AlexPereiraUFC congratulation, l will stop in the first round by knockout @danawhite @Mickmaynard2 the man doesn’t have a chin

— Magomed Ankalaev (@AnkalaevM) April 14, 2024

The UFC’s annual pay-per-view card in Abu Dhabi is set to go down on Oct. 26. However, Pereira, who is also eyeing a move to heavyweight, wants to fight sooner if another light heavyweight title defense is what's next for him.

"I don't want to fight at the end of the year, I want to fight sooner, so maybe that shows [Ankalaev] won't be ready. I don't know why he said that, this guy is complicated,” Pereira recently told MMAFighting.com.

“Honestly, I have to see what’s best. I’m here to fight, but I don’t understand best about other things like where is best [to fight] and where isn’t. If I have to fight there, I will, but if it’s not a date I want, then it’s not best for me. I can say no.”

Ankalaev is coming off a knockout win over Johnny Walker in January and is undefeated in his last 12 outings.