Ahead of their first clash at UFC 313 for the light heavyweight title, Magomed Ankalaev vowed to send Alex Pereira back to the tire shop where he once worked. The comment, made by a disrespectful fan at the pre-fight press conference, was met with a grin from the Dagestani. The buildup to their second fight at UFC 320 followed a similar pattern, with Ankalaev turning up the intensity on social media and once again targeting Pereira personally.
But the Brazilian superstar had the final word, knocking out Ankalaev in just 80 seconds to reclaim the 205-pound crown. Now, following his decisive victory, ‘Poatan’ has once again targeted Ankalaev, returning to familiar territory as he continues to assert his dominance over his rival.
Alex Pereira Trolls Magomed Ankalaev by Revisiting His Roots After Reclaiming 205lb Title
Ahead of UFC 320, Ankalaev took to social media and taunted, “You’re gonna be sleeping and on your way working at the tire shop again.” But as everyone saw, that didn’t happen. During their pre-fight stare-down, Pereira made it clear to Ankalaev that he was never going back to that life.
Now, the Brazilian has added insult to injury. He returned to the tire shop where he once worked, celebrating his rise to combat sports legend. The gesture honored his humble beginnings and personal struggles, while also sending a pointed message to the rival who vowed to send him back to the drawing board.
In a video posted on his social media, Pereira posed in front of the shop and said, “As promised, I said after the fight I was going to come back to the tire shop.”
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He then addressed Ankalaev directly, “Ankalaev was right. We are here today giving presence as always. Every time I come to Brazil, I come to the tire shop. This is it right here, everyone. Here, this is a place that has a very beautiful story. Chama.”
It is safe to say that Pereira has emphatically closed the chapter on his rivalry with Ankalaev. Many fighters, including Robert Whittaker, have suggested that the Dagestani likely won’t get another shot at the light heavyweight title.
During the post-fight announcements, Glover Teixeira appeared to turn down a trilogy bout when one of Ankalaev’s team members challenged him. However, Kamaru Usman believes a trilogy is necessary, as the two fighters are currently tied 1-1. Despite the calls for a rematch, Pereira has already made his next move clear.
Speaking with the UFC broadcast team, the Brazilian revealed his desire to make his heavyweight debut in a superfight against Jon Jones at next year’s UFC White House event. Dana White also confirmed Pereira’s intentions to move up to 265 pounds during the UFC 320 post-fight press conference.
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With Pereira now a three-time UFC champion, all eyes will be on what his next move will be as he charts a path toward potentially historic matchups.
