Just days before his first light heavyweight title defense, Magomed Ankalaev has hinted at a potential move to a different weight class.
This coming Saturday, the premier promotion returns to Las Vegas for UFC 320, featuring a highly anticipated light heavyweight title bout between Magomed Ankalaev and Alex Pereira.
While a sense of mutual respect initially seemed to prevail between the two fighters heading into their rematch, tensions have been rising after they nearly clashed during a recent encounter at the UFC Performance Institute.
Alex Pereira, who delivered a disappointing performance in their initial fight earlier this year, is confident he will reverse the outcome this time and already has his sights set on his next opponent once he reclaims the title.
Ankalaev Considers Weight Class Move Post-UFC 320
Leading up to his first title defense, Ankalaev has faced significant criticism from several sports analysts regarding both his personality and fighting style.
Earlier this year, UFC broadcast commentator Din Thomas even suggested the promotion should consider trading the Russian fighter to PFL in exchange for Dakota Ditcheva.
Furthermore, former heavyweight contender Brendan Schaub asserted that Ankalaev was ‘hurting the UFC’ rather than benefiting the organization.
Despite the criticism, the 33-year-old fighter is focused on enhancing his star power. If he secures another victory against ‘Poatan’, he is seriously considering a move to a different weight class to further cement his legacy.
“Yes, (heavyweight) is definitely in my future plans,” Ankalaev shared with New York Post Sports.
“The weight comes on easily; I quickly reach 110kgs (242lbs). Perhaps after a couple more fights, I will definitely move up.”
Ankalaev maintains a good relationship with the current heavyweight champion, Tom Aspinall, and previously supported the Brit during his prolonged dispute with Jon Jones.
Ankalaev and Pereira Identify Potential Next Challenger
When Alex Pereira dominated the light heavyweight division, a transition to heavyweight seemed inevitable for him, a topic he discussed on multiple occasions.
However, despite both Ankalaev and Pereira hinting at future moves to heavier divisions, they have independently pointed to Carlos Ulberg as the likely next challenger for the light heavyweight title.
‘Black Jag’ boasts an impressive nine-fight winning streak, having recently knocked out Dominick Reyes last Saturday at UFC Perth.
Neville Whittle