“Interesting…” Ankalaev Weighs In on Pereira’s Wrestling-Focused Training

Rematches in MMA are rarely just fights — they are psychological chess matches. For the defeated fighter, the first loss becomes an obsession. Every round, every exchange, every mistake is dissected over and over. Training camps are rebuilt not only to prepare for the opponent again, but to erase the memory of the failure that came before. Sometimes, however, fighters get so locked in on one perceived weakness that they overlook the bigger picture entirely.

This may now be the story of Alex Pereira as he prepares for his highly anticipated UFC 320 rematch with Magomed Ankalaev on October 4th. The Brazilian superstar, once a two-division UFC champion, saw his light heavyweight crown taken from him in March at UFC 313, when Ankalaev delivered a tactical and decisive unanimous decision victory. That fight not only halted Pereira’s rise as a two-weight MMA king but also reshaped the landscape of the 205-pound division.

Now, as the rematch draws near, training footage from Pereira’s camp has surfaced — and it has everyone talking.

Pereira’s Wrestling Camp Sparks Debate

The leaked clips show Pereira drilling takedown defense in high-intensity sequences, working with multiple training partners in rapid-fire succession. It’s clear his team is emphasizing grappling defense as a primary focus heading into the rematch. In the footage, Pereira appears explosive, committed, and determined to shut down any potential wrestling threats from Ankalaev.

But here’s where the conversation becomes complicated: in their first fight, wrestling was not the deciding factor. Ankalaev did attempt takedowns, but Pereira defended them well. The majority of the fight played out on the feet, where Ankalaev, surprisingly to many, out-struck one of the greatest kickboxers to ever step into the Octagon.

That context makes Pereira’s wrestling-heavy preparation both logical — in the sense that good takedown defense is always essential — and questionable, since the first fight revealed deeper striking adjustments might be needed more urgently.

And nobody has been more vocal about this than the man himself — the reigning light heavyweight champion, Magomed Ankalaev.

Ankalaev Mocks Pereira’s Wrestling-Heavy Approach

When shown the viral footage of Pereira’s wrestling drills, Ankalaev responded with a mixture of bemusement and ruthless trash talk. The Dagestani champion, known more for his quiet, technical dominance than verbal warfare, chose this moment to deliver a memorable jab at his upcoming opponent.

“This guy bring Punch Taxi driver to help him with wrestling,” Ankalaev said in a social media clip that immediately spread through the MMA community. “You don’t need to worry about wrestling, I’m gonna find this big head again.”

The statement — part insult, part fight analysis — cuts deeper than it might seem at first glance. Ankalaev isn’t just mocking Pereira’s choice of training partners. He’s pointing out that Pereira might be preparing for the wrong fight entirely.

First Fight Lessons: Wrestling Wasn’t the Problem

At UFC 313, Ankalaev’s wrestling attempts were limited and largely neutralized. Pereira stayed upright, defended well in the clinch, and even forced Ankalaev into striking exchanges. What followed, however, was surprising. Ankalaev didn’t simply hold his own in striking — he outperformed Pereira. His pressure boxing, precise counters, and cage-cutting strategies systematically wore Pereira down.

For a man who built his MMA reputation on terrifying knockout power and elite kickboxing credentials, losing a striking match to a primarily wrestling-based Dagestani fighter was, in many ways, more psychologically damaging than if he had been taken down and controlled on the mat. It suggested not just a tactical loss but a style exposure — that under the right conditions, Pereira’s striking could be figured out.

That is the core of Ankalaev’s mockery: if Pereira spends all of camp wrestling with fresh partners to improve takedown defense, he may be reinforcing a skill that wasn’t the reason he lost. The real adjustments may need to come in timing, distance management, and adaptation to Ankalaev’s boxing pressure.

Psychological Warfare: Real or Strategic Smokescreen?

However, MMA is a game of layers, and nothing is ever as simple as it appears. Pereira may indeed be working heavily on wrestling, but that doesn’t mean he has ignored striking adjustments. Fighters and camps sometimes release selective footage deliberately — a controlled leak to influence how their opponent prepares.

Could Pereira be showing wrestling footage to bait Ankalaev into underestimating his striking changes? Possibly. Could it be an attempt to convince Ankalaev that a grappling-focused attack might be worth pursuing — setting traps for counters? Also possible. In MMA, especially at the championship level, every public move can be both genuine preparation and psychological bait.

Still, based on Ankalaev’s calm, confident response, the champion doesn’t seem concerned. His language and tone suggest a man who believes the matchup is already figured out — and that unless Pereira has made massive adjustments in striking, history may repeat itself.

UFC 320: Legacy, Revenge, and Division Control

The stakes for UFC 320 are significant. For Alex Pereira, this fight is about redemption and proof of adaptability. He is no stranger to rivalries — his history with Israel Adesanya showed that he can win rematches and evolve under pressure. But this situation feels different. Ankalaev’s first victory wasn’t a sudden knockout or a single tactical error; it was a fight controlled over five rounds, suggesting structural problems in Pereira’s game plan.

For Magomed Ankalaev, this is about validation and cementing his championship reign. Beating Pereira once may have silenced some critics, but beating him twice — especially if the second win is more dominant — would firmly establish Ankalaev as not only the rightful champion but one of the smartest tactical minds in the division.

The fight also carries weight for the entire light heavyweight division, a historically prestigious but recently unstable weight class. A clear champion who can defend repeatedly gives the division direction, while a win for Pereira could reignite chaos — and potential trilogies — at the top.

Conclusion: Ankalaev’s Calm vs. Pereira’s Urgency

As October 4th approaches, the narrative is clear: one man fights to protect what he has built, while the other fights to reclaim what he lost. Pereira’s camp may be hyper-focused on wrestling, or that may be a deliberate feint; only fight night will reveal the truth.

Ankalaev, for his part, appears unmoved — confident that his original game plan, refined and repeated, is enough to prevail again.

Whether Pereira’s adjustments prove brilliant or misguided, UFC 320 is shaping up to be more than a title fight. It’s a study in how champions think, how rivals evolve, and how thin the line between revenge and repeat defeat truly is in the unpredictable world of mixed martial arts.