Following Belal Muhammad’s injury-forced withdrawal from the title defense at UFC 310, rumors are rife that Alex Pereira vs. Magomed Ankalaev could headline the card. This has left the MMA world polarized, with some wanting the match-up while others feeling it is a bit hard on Pereira, who would be making his fourth title defense of the year.
In the December 7 event, Muhammad was slated to put his welterweight belt at stake against undefeated fighter, Shavkat Rakhmonov. An untimely bone infection on his toe, which had to be operated upon, has sidelined the Palestinian-American for a few weeks.
Speculations about ‘Poatan’ being the main event replacement started doing the rounds soon after the news about Muhammad broke. Fight enthusiasts were keen to know the truth, and commented on posts mentioning the rumor.
“No way this happens right? Unreal”
There were many who were keen to see Pereira in action.
“Book it.”
“Pereira would be the undisputed fighter of the year if he KOs Ankalaev.”
Some users used the opportunity to take a dig at Ankalaev, saying that the Russian was not the type of fighter who would glove up in short notice.
“Ankalaev ain’t about that life ! Hill might step in tbh.”
Earlier, both Pereira and Ankalaev tweeted out emojis hinting that they both are waiting to hear from the UFC.
🚨 Alex Pereira and Magomed Ankalaev both seem extremely keen on being the replacement main event for UFC 310, despite both of them having fought earlier this month. pic.twitter.com/ZSndeveZ0j
— Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) October 31, 2024
However, the Russian deleted his tweet later. A fan noted it, and commented taking a jab at him.
“Ankalaev deleted his tweet. Not very “keen” now is he.”
Everything is a rumor at the moment. Neither the fighters nor the promotion has confirmed anything. However, considering Pereira‘s zeal in such matters, one cannot dismiss it easily either.
The rise of ‘Poatan’: How the Brazilian became the UFC’s favorite
Before he became one of the UFC’s star attraction, Pereira was a two-division GLORY kickboxing champion, winning titles in the middleweight and light heavyweight categories. The Brazilian was pretty much settled and happy at GLORY till he heard Israel Adesanya talk about him in an interview.
That got him pumped up, and before you knew it, he was in the UFC. The rest, as they say, is history, or history in the making.
Despite being relatively inexperienced in MMA, Pereira had an outstanding debut in 2021. He knocked out Andreas Michailidis with a flying knee. Two more bouts later, where he further showcased his striking prowess, Pereira knocked on Adesanya’s door for the MW title.
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Though he captured the belt, knocking out Izzy, ‘The Last Stylebender’ got his revenge in the rematch.
Pereira then decided to move up to LHW. This is where the Brazilian came into his own. In his first LHW bout, he faced former champion, Jan Blachowicz. He beat the Polish powerhouse via a UD. The two bouts that followed, against Jiri Prochazka and Jamahal Hill, elevated him as a fan favorite.
Pereira has fought Prochazka twice, defeating the Czech warrior emphatically each time. By this time, Pereira also earned a reputation of being a man’s man, stepping up to challenges, and taking up fights on short notice.
Now, if the UFC actually finalizes the Pereira vs Ankalaev bout at UFC 310, this would be his fourth PPV event in 2024. Now, that’s savage!
