UFC light heavyweight title contender Magomed Ankalaev keeps catching strays for no fault of his own. For a year, he struggled to get a date with the champion Alex Pereira despite being the number 1 contender. And now, that he’s fighting him in a few weeks time, UFC veteran Din Thomas has made an argument for him to be traded to the PFL.
Ankalaev has been nothing but consistent in his performances at 205 lbs. However, he’s not a star. And MMA is a star-driven sport. The UFC is currently running out of those stars. All the star attractions like Jon Jones and Dustin Poirier are towards the end of their career. Even Pereira, new as he is to the promotion is 37! So the UFC needs new faces for the next generation of fighters.
The PFL, on the other hand, reportedly seems to be struggling with its finances, especially after acquiring Bellator. Fighters like Patricio Pitbull have even left the promotion due to a lack of fights. And this is where Thomas claims Ankalev comes in. Speaking on The Casuals MMA podcast, Thomas offered a simple solution and said,
“I am like, Yo, if you like MMA, do this for MMA. Trade her(Ditcheva) to the UFC. You know she belongs in the UFC. Listen, get rid of Ankalaev in the UFC… We (UFC) don’t need Ankalaev. You know what I am saying? He’s not getting a title. We don’t need this guy. Ankalaev will fit right in the PFL. Another guy nobody knows about.”
Big Ank catching strays for no reason dawg pic.twitter.com/zZTJ8eniqz
— UncChaelGlazer (@mmatalksonx) February 5, 2025
Fortunately for Ankalaev, trading fighters is not something that the UFC has indulged in, before. Also, despite Ditcheva’s soaring success in the PFL, his station in the UFC remains impervious to change since there’s a real chance of him becoming the next light heavyweight champion. However, Ankalaev might need to break his word to get the job done.
Ankalaev’s Pereira dillema
The #1 contender is expected to be the toughest challenge, Pereira has faced since making his debut with the UFC in 2021. The Brazilian champion boasts a stellar record and has won titles in both 185 lbs and 205 lbs divisions. That said, by a happy coincidence or otherwise, he has yet to face a high-caliber grappler.
In fact, his last opponent, the #8 ranked Khalil Rountree Jr. had promised not to shoot for takedowns in the interest of showing fans a good time. Ahead of UFC 313, Ankalaev has made a similar promise.
Magomed Ankalaev going in on Alex Pereira yet again, and makes him a deal
“I will make a deal. First 15 minutes no takedowns.”#UFC #MMA pic.twitter.com/doXJ52QqOv
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) July 2, 2024
However, Rountree’s primary skills didn’t involve grappling, Ankalaev’s do! While he’s not a maverick of the ground game like some of his fellow countrymen, Ankalev can hold his own against top-ranked 205-pounders on the ground.
Secondly, his striking, while improved, is simply not a match against Pereira’s elite kickboxing. So, it would be puzzling to see him stick to his word and limit himself in the biggest fight of his career, especially since this might be his last chance at a title shot.
Ankalev had previously fought Jan Blachowicz at UFC 282 for gold and lost narrowly by a split decision.
