Magomed Ankalaev could have coincidentally performed a favor for interim UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall when he beat Alex Pereira within the UFC 313 fundamental occasion.
Previous to the occasion, Pereira had teased a doable transfer to heavyweight sooner or later after fielding a variety of questions on a possible showdown in opposition to Jon Jones. In fact, Aspinall has been impatiently ready on his personal alternative to face Jones to unify the UFC heavyweight title however a Pereira win over Ankalaev might have probably messed with these plans.
Ultimately, Ankalaev vanquished Pereira throughout the five-round struggle, though there have been just a few cries that the Brazilian deserved to get the nod that evening. It’s an argument that Aspinall completely doesn’t perceive regardless of how a lot that struggle might have doubtlessly impacted his future.
“I can’t imagine individuals watched that struggle and thought that Pereira received,” Aspinall advised JNMediaUK on YouTube. “It was simply wild to me what number of uneducated followers are on the market and what number of uneducated followers thought it was a boring struggle as properly.
“I believed it was an incredible struggle, each guys did good. However I believe Ankalaev was only a lot higher than him on the evening. That’s it.”
Whereas Ankalaev didn’t essentially come near a end, he persistently pissed off Pereira together with his ahead aggression, takedown makes an attempt and fixed strain that simply by no means allowed the Brazilian to settle into any type of rhythm.
Aspinall was very impressed with Ankalaev’s technique as a result of for all of the speak about his grappling superiority within the struggle, he didn’t actually even must take Pereira all the way down to beat him.
“I believe Ankalaev simply had him guessing quite a bit,” Aspinall mentioned. “I believe Pereira’s stage on the bottom, I don’t know what stage he’s at, however I believe he’s nonetheless a bit cautious of getting taken down. He positively defended the takedowns properly however me with an informed eye watching it, I don’t suppose Ankalaev was actually making an attempt to take him down that a lot. He positively tried a few occasions. I believe he did 10 or 11 takedown makes an attempt however I’d say solely two or three of them he went full blast.
“I believe the remainder of the time, he was making an attempt to tire him out with the grappling standing, just like the cage grappling stuff. I believe Ankalaev had the right sport plan. He didn’t overcommit, drained him out.”
The loss ended Pereira’s five-fight win streak at mild heavyweight and prevented him from a fourth consecutive protection of his title.
That struggle could have additionally successfully ended any hope that Pereira would possibly transfer to heavyweight in hopes that he might arrange a champ versus champ matchup in opposition to Jones. That clearly clears any doable impediment for Aspinall however he’ll additionally take nothing away from Pereira and the unimaginable run he’s been on these days.
“He can do no matter he needs,” Aspinall mentioned about Pereira. “He’s an absolute megastar. I believe there’s fights to be made at middleweight, mild heavy or heavy, he can do no matter he needs.”
So far as his personal curiosity in dealing with Pereira, Ankalaev or anyone else for that matter, Aspinall makes it clear that he solely has one objective in thoughts and nothing goes to discourage him from that.
“I simply need to struggle for an undisputed title,” Aspinall mentioned. “I’m not bothered who it’s in opposition to.”
