Magomed Ankalaev isn’t getting sucked into all the drama ahead of his rematch with Alex Pereira.
After taking the light heavyweight throne from ‘Poatan’ in March, Ankalaev will put his crown up for grabs against the Brazilian bruiser in one of the most anticipated sequels of the year.
In the weeks leading up to their UFC 320 headliner, tensions have been rising between the two 205-pound stars. But after exchanging words at the UFC Performance Institute last month, Ankalaev is content to leave the “baggage” behind and focus on the task at hand.
“You know, there’s not like an emotional baggage that I’m bringing to this thing or like an emotional something,” Ankalaev said in an interview with the UFC. “It’s—basically, he said what he said. He said I hid from him. I heard it. That really upset me. I did not like that. So, I found him and I said, ‘You were looking for me? Here I am. I’m not hiding.’ Then he answered to me. I was satisfied with whatever answer I received and I let it go. I’m no longer concentrating on that.
“So, it’s not like I’m emotionally distraught going into this fight—not at all. Other than that, respect, whatever, there’s nothing that I’m thinking about except I’m concentrating on the fight. I don’t care about the rest of the noise.”
Ankalaev is the odds-On favorite in Pereira rematch
Ankalaev goes into his first light heavyweight title defense as a moderate favorite, trending on sportsbooks at -250, meaning a $250 bet would net you $100, should the Dagestani come out on top.
However, if you believe that Ankalaev will bounce back following his lackluster performance the first time around, a $100 bet could score you $230.
Who do you see leaving ‘Sin City’ with gold wrapped around their waist this weekend?
