“Ankalaev Is Not Next”: Dana White and Netflix Could Join Forces for Alex Pereira vs. Jake Paul, Says Ex-UFC Star

A super fight between Alex Pereira and Jake Paul could be a bit of a stretch of the good-old imagination as things stand now. But former UFC fighter Alan Jouban has floated the idea, citing Dana White’s ambitions, Jake Paul’s star power, and the growing trend of crossover fights as reasons for it to become a reality.

“Alex Pereira said [Magomed] Ankalaev is not the next guy in line,” Jouban said on Sirius XM, before speculating on the future course for the fighters.

With Alex dismissing Ankalaev as his next opponent, and Jon Jones likely to square off against Tom Aspinall in 2025, Jouban said that White might be eyeing a different kind of blockbuster matchup for Pereira.

Jouban pointed out that Paul’s fights have generated massive numbers and interest in the past. His showdown with Mike Tyson on Netflix was a blockbuster hit. White might see potential in pairing Pereira with the YouTuber-turned-boxer.

With Netflix’s global reach and White’s known interest in exploring boxing promotions, the partnership could create a platform to maximize both viewership and revenue.

While things are purely speculative as of now, this aligns with White’s recent promise of “unexpected fights” in 2025. The UFC boss has been known to shake things up. This potential partnership with Paul would be yet another way to blur the lines between combat sports and entertainment, while reaping the benefits from both worlds.

Although UFC fans will be excited to hear a news like this, there are purists who would feel they are being cheated out of a title tussle.

Ankalaev calls out Pereira

Ankalaev has been rallying for a title shot against Pereira. He is widely regarded as one of the biggest threats left in the division for the UFC light heavyweight champion. The fans have been harping for the matchup too.

However, Poatan continues to shut down the idea.“It won’t be Ankalaev,” he said. And Ankalaev, understandably frustrated, has responded by calling Pereira a “chicken”.

It will be unfortunate if Ankalaev doesn’t get his title shot despite being the #1 contender. It would also make White’s statement about the seriousness of UFC rankings an utter joke.

After all, if the champions get to pick and choose who they fight, then the rankings, and contender statuses would all become meaningless.