Magomed Ankalaev shares bold prediction for Alex Pereira rematch at UFC 320

Magomed Ankalaev plans to make a statement in the main event of UFC 320.

Ankalaev is set to defend his light heavyweight title in the main event of UFC 320 in a rematch against Alex Pereira. Ankalaev won the belt earlier this year as he beat Pereira by decision.

Ahead of the rematch, Magomed Ankalaev is a sizable betting favorite, and he’s confident he won’t just beat Alex Pereira but will finsih him early to defend his belt for the first time.

“This fight will be completely different,” Ankalaev said on UFC 320 Countdown. “This second fight, it’s not a chance for him to win. It’s a chance for me to finish him early. To dominate Alex Pereira.”

If Ankalaev can go out and finish Pereira early, it would be a statement win and a surprise. But, the champ has full confidence that he will be able to either knock Pereira out early or get a submission win to prove the first fight was no fluke and he is that much better than the Brazilian.

Magomed Ankalaev felt like he ‘dominated’ Alex Pereira in the first fight

Although Ankalaev’s goal is to dominate and finish Pereira at UFC 320, he already felt like he dominated the Brazilian back in March.

“I did everything, I moved forward, I dominated, I was looking for openings,” Ankalaev said. “Everyone thought he could beat me, that he would finish me early. And when I proved the opposite, that was the most joyful thing for me.”

Although Ankalaev felt like he dominated Pereira in the first fight, he will have to do it again to remain the light heavyweight champion past UFC 320.

The full UFC 320 fight card is as follows:

• Magomed Ankalaev vs. Alex Pereira – for light heavyweight title
• Merab Dvalishvili vs. Cory Sandhagen – for bantamweight title
• Jiri Prochazka vs. Khalil Rountree Jr.
• Josh Emmett vs. Youssef Zalal
• Abus Magomedov vs. Joe Pyfer
• Ateba Gautier vs. Treston Vines,
• Andre Muniz vs. Edmen Shahbazyan
• Farid Basharat vs. Chris Gutierrez
• Daniel Santos vs. JooSang Yoo
• Macy Chiasson vs. Yana Santos
• Patchy Mix vs. Jakub Wiklacz
• Punahele Soriano vs. Nikolay Veretennikov
• Ramiz Brahimaj vs. Austin Vanderford
• Veronica Hardy vs. Brogan Walker