Magomed Ankalaev knew accepting a title battle in opposition to Alex Pereira at UFC 313 on March 8 was going to require some sacrifices as a result of the date falls one week into Ramadan.
The holy month noticed by Muslims throughout the globe requires fasting from daybreak till sundown — avoiding all meals and water throughout sunlight hours. Whereas none of that affected his preparation preparing for the battle, Ankalaev admits he’s been compelled to interrupt the quick as he will get prepared to chop right down to 205 kilos on Friday for his battle in opposition to Pereira on Saturday.
“If we’re speaking concerning the coaching or the coaching camp, the preparation, that was performed earlier than Ramadan,” Ankalaev mentioned throughout UFC 313 media day on Wednesday. “So there was no points with that. The one factor that we needed to change is as a result of the week of the battle is Ramadan, what I needed to do was I needed to break a few fasting periods as a result of I’ve to drink plenty of water to ensure that me to have the ability to make the load. Apart from that, every part is similar.”
In fact, Ankalaev has additionally heard Pereira chirping about meals being delivered to his room, though that didn’t essentially imply the Russian truly ate something whereas he was observing the fasting guidelines for Ramadan.
For his half, Ankalaev can’t assist however marvel if Pereira is already displaying his hand by making all these feedback that basically shouldn’t matter a lot to him simply days away from their battle.
“He’s clearly actually apprehensive about me and what I’m doing,” Ankalaev mentioned. “He appears to be nervous. He’s following all these items. Like what can I say? I’ll let you know once more. I needed to break the quick a few occasions as a result of there’s one thing I must do as a way to make the load and as a way to be ready. He appears to be approach too involved with that.
“Even when he goes to a fridge proper now and he opens the meals, he’ll see that there’s meals with my title on it, the UFC meals that was given to me. If he needs it, he can take it.”
Past his jabs about Ankalaev observing the foundations of Ramadan, Pereira additionally lately prompt a wager between them concerning the battle the place the loser would pay $200,000 to a charity of the winner’s selection.
Since you might be so assured you’ll win, $200,000 to the winners charity of selection. Win or lose this can assist these in want. It’s in your arms @AliAbdelaziz00 @AnkalaevM
— Alex “Poatan” Pereira (@AlexPereiraUFC) March 3, 2025
For all of the methods Pereira appears to know the ins and outs in the case of observing Ramadan, Pereira can’t assist however remind him that one other tenet of Islam is that Muslims aren’t allowed to gamble.
That’s why Ankalaev prompt simply straight up donating to charity as a substitute somewhat than attaching some wager as a situation for giving again.
“We had been actually clear about it on-line, we mentioned as Muslims we can not do bets,” Ankalaev mentioned. “That’s not one thing that we assist or that we glance to do. Nevertheless, if he needs to do one thing, any sort of charity or something that he needs to do, we’ve got the means to do it and I’d be glad to partake in that.”
A part of Pereira’s determination to go after Ankalaev relating to the way in which he practices his faith would possibly come again to some considerations the Russian had concerning the mild heavyweight champion doubtlessly shedding focus forward of their showdown on Saturday.
Together with his title protection simply weeks away, Pereira traveled to Australia to nook Sean Strickland in his battle in opposition to Dricus du Plessis to not point out conducting different enterprise whereas he was abroad in addition to spending a number of nights out somewhat than further time within the health club.
Whereas Pereira could have taken previous feedback as a slight, Ankalaev guarantees that’s not the case and if something, he was truly simply displaying concern for the UFC mild heavyweight champion.
“We weren’t attempting to make it private or something,” Ankalaev mentioned. “We had been simply saying perhaps we had been apprehensive about him that he’s sort of everywhere, all these totally different UFC occasions and stuff like that.
“Perhaps he ought to have taken it as us being concerned about him spending time doing one thing somewhat than being ready for the battle. Whichever approach he took it, it’s as much as him. It’s not going to assist him or make it worse.”
