‘10% Better’ Alex Pereira Sends Fiery Six-Word Reply to Magomed Ankalaev After UFC PI Standoff

At UFC 313, Magomed Ankalaev ended Alex Pereira’s enigmatic light heavyweight reign. Despite stuffing all 12 takedown attempts by the Dagestani, many wondered why ‘Poatan’ seemed really gun-shy. According to Joe Rogan, Pereira fought with a “broken hand” and “norovirus.” In contrast, others cited his grueling four-fights back-to-back. So, the consensus was that he wasn’t able to fully lock in. Now, with the UFC 320 rematch approaching, fans are eager to see if Pereira can show a stronger and healthier performance.  

If you ask the former two-division champion, he’s locked in and ready. In an interview with CBS Sports’ Brian Campbell, Pereira admitted that he was operating at only around 40% during the last fight with Magomed Ankalaev. But he didn’t stop there. He boldly added, “If I’m more like 50%, that 10% is going to make such a big difference — it’s gonna be no doubt for everybody.” So, that’s the highlight this time around — a completely dialled in ‘Poatan.’ But before the highly anticipated rematch, Poatan has a scathing message for the champion. 

Alex Pereira sends a 6-word message to Magomed Ankalaev 

Pereira and Ankalaev were at the UFC Performance Institute in Las Vegas ahead of their October 4 fight at T‑Mobile Arena, and tensions flared. During an altercation caught on camera, the two exchanged fiery words in their respective languages via an interpreter. Pereira uploaded the clip to his Instagram with a six‑word caption that doubled as a warning, “I’ll slap him on October 4th.”

The reason for the UFC PI standoff wasn’t entirely clear. First, in a previous exchange, Pereira claimed Ankalaev was avoiding him. Then in the aforementioned second instance, according to an article by MMA Fighting, the Russian and his team were sharing the room with the Brazilian’s camp, which sparked the confrontation between them. Ankalaev reportedly felt uncomfortable with the situation, and that led to the verbal exchange. In the end, Pereira had the final word, “We’re professionals. I respect you. But on Oct. 4, I will hit you. I will slap your face.” 

With that, another chapter has been added to the Ankalaev vs. Pereira rivalry. As fight week approaches, fans can likely expect more heated moments. However, it seems ‘Poatan’ hasn’t softened his view of the current champion. But it seems that the Dagestani titleholder reportedly lost some respect for Pereira following the UFC PI verbal exchange. 

Magomed Ankalaev claims to have lost some respect for ‘Poatan’  

Since Magomed Ankalaev captured the light heavyweight title, tensions in the division have only grown. During International Fight Week, the Dagestani champion was on fire on social media, calling out Alex Pereira and Jiri Prochazka for future showdowns. In the process, he drew the ire of fellow fighters across the division. Up to that point, though, his taunts rarely targeted their actual abilities. But now, that has changed.

Since the altercation happened at the PI, Ankalaev seemed to have lost some respect for the Brazilian. He told MMA Junkie, “Honestly, up until recently, I had respect for him as a fighter and as a person. No longer respect him because, OK, trash talk is something to hype up the fight, maybe you say something funny, or to be salty, but when you lie to people and say, ‘I saw him, and he hid,’ and stuff like that, he recently said, I don’t respect people like that. Why would you lie about something that never happened? 

This is the first incident we’re talking about that happened at the PI. Pereira, in his YouTube video, said, “Like damn, he was hiding,” implying that the coaching staff had to step in to prevent any pre-fight brawl ahead of UFC 320. The 205-pound champion pushed back on that claim, insisting he wasn’t hiding and accusing ‘Poatan’ of lying. With that, the rivalry has picked up even more steam heading into their ultimate showdown. Now, it’s only a matter of time before they clash inside the Octagon once again.

With that being said, who do you think will have the upper hand in this rematch? Can Pereira claim revenge and reclaim the belt — or will Ankalaev extend his reign? Let us know in the comments below.

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