Alex Pereira isn’t precisely thrilled with the way in which his rematch in opposition to Magomed Ankalaev has been constructing.
After surrendering the sunshine heavyweight title to Ankalaev in March, ‘Poatan’ will look to reclaim the crown when he steps again into the primary occasion highlight at UFC 320 in Las Vegas.
Whereas it’s undoubtedly thrilling anytime Pereira competes, there was little fanfare surrounding his sequel scrap with Ankalaev. A few of that may in all probability be blamed on the Brazilian’s lackluster efficiency of their first assembly. However in the event you ask Pereira, it’s the dearth of story that’s leaving followers just a little uninterested.
“Simply to reply that, as a result of really nothing compares to this story that we have now with [Israel] Adesanya, since kickboxing we delivered to MMA, delivered to the most important group,” Pereira advised MMA Junkie. “And man, so it doesn’t examine. It’s what I say, folks don’t know the way to do that media aspect like me and Adesanya already did.
“Individuals assume it’s simply speaking and also you’ll earn extra, you’ll be nicely seen, and we’re seeing that it’s not like that; it’s important to have a narrative. So he’s doing it completely improper.”
Pereira and Adesanya had a well-documented historical past earlier than they ever collided contained in the Octagon, making that rivalry a simple promote for the UFC.
Pereira and Ankalaev have had a handful of intense verbal exchanges, together with a short back-and-forth on the UFC PI forward of their rematch. However other than that, it’s been pretty quiet between Ankalaev and the promotion’s high star.