Magomed Ankalaev blames Alex Pereira for a UFC 313 most important occasion that was mild on motion.
In Saturday’s headlining bout at T-Cellular Enviornment in Las Vegas, Ankalaev earned a unanimous determination win over Pereira to assert the UFC mild heavyweight championship. Ankalaev’s methodical win was in stark distinction to the fireworks seen in Pereira’s earlier title fights, which drew some criticism from their fellow fighters and followers.
Ankalaev defended his techniques on the night’s post-fight press convention, placing the onus on “Poatan” for not partaking.
“It was very totally different from what we envisioned as a result of, as you understand, normally Pereira hunts for the end,” Ankalaev mentioned by way of a Russian translator. “He strikes ahead, he tries to search out his opponents for the end.
“Right here, it was very totally different, as you’ll be able to see. He was operating away from me, he wasn’t letting me work and he himself wasn’t actually working a lot, so that you noticed the best way it performed out.”
The championship-winning scores for Ankalaev have been a pair of 48-47s and a 49-46, with a number of of the rounds showing to be toss-ups within the second (MMA Combating scored the competition 48-47 for Pereira). In Ankalaev’s opinion, the end result was by no means unsure, and he once more pointed to what he perceived to be hesitance on Pereira’s half as to why nobody ought to be complaining concerning the outcome.
“I used to be assured,” Ankalaev mentioned. “I saved on transferring ahead, I saved pressuring him and he saved on operating away from me. For 20 minutes this man was operating away from me. Then I heard on the finish of the combat he was saying that he wasn’t positive why the victory was given me. Who’s alleged to be given the victory? I’ve been pressuring him the complete time, he was operating for 20 minutes, after which he’s questioning who’s alleged to get the victory?
“Hear, I’m blissful for a rematch if he desires a rematch. However then perhaps within the rematch he can combat for actual and never simply run away the complete time.”
A prevalent narrative heading into Saturday’s most important occasion was the opportunity of Ankalaev utilizing a wrestling-focused assault to stifle Pereira’s explosive hanging. Although Ankalaev didn’t safe a takedown within the contest (he was 0-for-12 on takedown makes an attempt based on official UFC stats), he was capable of neutralize Pereira towards the fence on a number of events.
Ankalaev wasn’t stunned by Pereira’s wrestling protection, nor was he stunned that he gained the combat on the ft.
“He was thought-about to be the very best striker within the division on the best way to this combat,” Ankalaev mentioned. “That’s what all people was speaking about, the narrative was that he’s the very best. You noticed what sort of greatest striker he was within the combat. You noticed how properly we did towards the hanging and the way our hanging was working.
“We didn’t need to depend on the wrestling as a result of we have been assured in our hanging. We have been making an attempt to get him to go ahead the complete time, that’s what we have been baiting, that’s what we have been making an attempt to push, and he by no means walked ahead.”
Forward of the matchup, Ankalaev mentioned he would grant Pereira and quick rematch after their combat and he didn’t change his tune now that he’s secured the victory. UFC Dana White mentioned on the post-fight press convention he expects a rematch to occur.
Ankalaev can be ready for the decision.
“Sure, I by no means decide my opponents, so I’m very a lot blissful and prepared for a rematch,” Ankalaev mentioned. “At any time when UFC affords it to us, we’ll see what the date is, we’ll be blissful to just accept it.”
