Midnight Mania: Magomed By KO? Pereira ‘Doesn’t Have A Chin’

Welcome to Midnight Mania!

Alex Pereira is riding high after UFC 300. The Brazilian knockout artist lived up to the hype in the main event, starching Jamahal Hill in the very first round via knockout (watch here). More than a simple stoppage win, his first title defense was pretty much a perfect performance: the first real punch he threw sent “Sweet Dreams” to the canvas!

fighting again in three weeks at UFC 301, which probably won’t happen. He’s also talked about Heavyweight and fighting Tom Aspinall, but it feels like there’s more for him to accomplish at 205-pounds still. Most notably, Jiri Prochazka’s own UFC 300 knockout win puts him in reasonable position for a rematch, and wrestling ace Magomed Ankalaev is riding a considerable win streak.

After Pereira’s title defense, Ankalaev made it clear that he expects the next opportunity. He called Pereira out for an Abu Dhabi showdown (most likely meaning UFC 308 on October 26) then promised a first-round knockout because “The man doesn’t have a chin.”

… Because talking trash worked so well for Jamahal Hill.

On one hand, Ankalaev is clearly the most deserving contender of a title shot. He hasn’t lost in an awful long time and is coming off a quality knockout win over Johnny Walker. If Pereira isn’t jumping up to Heavyweight, then a Ankalaev title shot makes plenty of sense.

Yet, isn’t it odd for the contender to set the location? Abu Dhabi feels almost like a home field advantage for Dagestani and Russian fighters, who are frequently booked on the former “Fight Island.” Plus, his October timeline doesn’t exactly line up with Pereira’s desired three week turnaround.

It remains to be seen how the Light Heavyweight title picture shakes out.

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— Mike Bohn (@MikeBohn) April 13, 2024