Ankalaev accuses Poatan of 'fear', but reveals he is rooting for the champion for his fight against Khalil Rountree at UFC 307

M. Ankalaev in victory in UFC 277. Photo: Reproduction/ Instagram @ufc

Magomed Ankalayev is ready for another challenge. On October 26th, in Abu Dhabi, the Russian will face Aleksandar rakic No. UFC 308, with the clear objective of getting closer to a fight for the light heavyweight title (up to 93kg). However, the rivalry with the current champion, Alex Poatán, continues to rise.

Second in the ranking, Ankalaev will have his eyes fixed on Poatan, who faces Khalil rountree this Saturday (5). The Russian believes he should have been the number one challenger and does not hesitate to criticize the champion for supposedly 'being afraid' of facing him.

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“Alex has six knockouts in the UFC. I have six knockouts in the UFC. He knows why he’s not fighting me, but the guy who’s number eight. Let’s be realistic. Focus on your fight. I’ll do the same. We’ll see later if you’ll accept. Good luck this weekend. I’m rooting for you. Let’s go, champ,” Ankalaev wrote on his social media.

Ankalaev was criticized by Poatan

Alex Poatán, in turn, has already refuted the previous accusations and claimed that the 'boring' fighting style Ankalaev's performance has hurt him in the title race. The Brazilian champion claims that his preference for more dynamic fights with knockouts has led him to other challenges. He is honing the final details to face Khalil rountree.

Learn about Alex 'Poatan' Pereira's journey from his days in the tire shop to UFC stardom