Alex Poatan opens up and reveals why he's confident about a rematch against Ankalaev at UFC 320

Alex Poatan is a former UFC light heavyweight champion. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram

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Alex Poatan makes no secret of where his confidence comes from to beat Magomed Ankalaev in the UFC 320 rematch, scheduled for this Saturday (4). The Brazilian was defeated in the first encounter and now appears as a big underdog in the betting houses. However, he believes in his evolution to achieve a different outcome.

In an interview with UFC News, Poatan emphasized that, when comparing his current form to his previous one, he sees an improvement that boosts his confidence. The Brazilian notes that, even though he's not at his best, he managed to put up a close fight against Ankalaev, which reinforces the feeling of being even more prepared.

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"I compared how I was before to how I am now, and doing that gives me more confidence. I was able to put up such a balanced fight before, so this makes me feel good," said Poatan.

Glover Teixeira reveals problems in Alex Poatan's preparation for UFC 313

Glover Teixeira revealed that Poatan had health problems during his preparation to face Magomed Ankalaev . According to the coach, the Brazilian couldn't be pushed too hard in training and, as a result, had to "catch up" in the last week, which may have led to a case of overtraining.

"I'll tell you the truth. I think Poatan exceeded his training limit in his last fight. He trained less because he got sick in Australia, he wasn't training properly, because he has to cut back. The guy was sick, and if you push him, he'll get worse. We worked on technique... Then, in that last week, the weight was higher. Poatan was feeling good, so he trained too much last week," the coach said in an interview with the 'Overdogs Podcast'.

Now, Alex Poatan will have the chance to prove that health problems were the difference in his first duel against Magomed Ankalaev . The Brazilian faces the Russian in a rematch in the main event of UFC 320, scheduled for next Saturday (4).

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