Is he gonna outrun Prochazka? Ankalaev calls for UFC title and fight with Pereira after win over Walker, Brazilian’s team reacts

Jiří Prochazka was looking for a quick rematch, but he didn’t get it. Jamahal Hill was supposed to fight for the UFC welterweight title with champion Alex Pereira. Still waiting for him to recover, though, he loudly asked for Magomed Ankalaev chance. Will he get it?

Finally. After months of waiting, we’ve seen the first gala of the best MMA organization in the world this year. It may be unnumbered, but it wasn’t boring. After all, we saw seven stoppages before the limit, plus there was a shuffle of cards in the light heavyweight division.

The division was watching the rematch in which Magomed Ankalaev and Johnny Walker clashed. They first faced each other in October, but their duel very controversially ended without result after an illegal punch from the Russian fighter.

Ankalaev confirms role as favorite at 1st gala of the year

Ankalaev was the favorite then and now. Now he has confirmed that role. The Brazilian sympathizer, who can be occasionally encountered at Oktagon tournaments, was able to take the Brazilian in the second round and quite uncompromisingly.

The Russian has been asking for the title for a long time. When he fought Jan Blachowicz for it in December 2022, he had to bite a bitter draw. So he had to regain his position as the rightful challenger, which was to be helped by a win over Walker.

Which, as we now know, he delivered. Unsurprisingly, he subsequently asked for the UFC title and thus a fight with division champion Alex Pereira. The latter defeated Jiri Prochazka in November, and since then we’ve been waiting to see what happens next. The Moravian Samurai wanted a rematch, but the Brazilian brushed it off, which the BJP respects.

Recently, there was speculation that Pereira could fight Tom Aspinall, the interim heavyweight king, at the UFC 300 gala. However, it is Ankalaev who wants to fight the Brazilian at the same event.

Will he fight for the UFC title?

As far as the light heavyweight division is concerned, former champion Jamahal Hill was promised a title shot. However, he is still recovering from injury and it’s a question of when he will return. If Alex Pereira doesn’t want to wait long for his next fight, he needs to look for other opponents.

Magomed Ankalaev is thus a perfectly adequate option outside of a heavyweight challenge, albeit a very risky one. The Russian’s qualities cannot be doubted. The light heavyweight division could thus play a major role at the UFC 300 anniversary event.

After all, it will also feature a Jiri Prochazka vs Aleksandar Rakic fight, with BJP promised a UFC title fight if he wins. Should a Pereira vs Ankalaev fight happen here, the Moravian Samurai would also learn the name of another potential opponent.

And what was the response to the challenge from Pereira’s team? “Great knockout. See you soon,” Glover Teixeira, i.e. Pereira’s teammate and former champion of the division up to 93 kilograms, said via social networks.

“Thanks, champ. You don’t have to wait that long. I’m ready for your boy,” Ankalaev promptly responded to Teixeira’s words.

Source: UFC, Twitter