Mar 8, 2025; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Alex Pereira (red gloves) fights Magomed Ankalaev (blue gloves) during UFC 313 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

mma

“This Time There Will Be No 5 Rounds” – Magomed Ankalaev Teases Date For Alex Pereira Rematch

Magomed Ankalaev teases rematch date; reveals that he has signed the contract and waiting for Alex Pereira!

Mar 8, 2025; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Alex Pereira (red gloves) fights Magomed Ankalaev (blue gloves) during UFC 313 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

Magomed Ankalaev has climbed the ranks steadily. His path crossed with Brazilian powerhouse Alex Pereira not long ago. The Russian fighter’s technical skills impressed everyone that night. His ground game troubled Pereira throughout their contest. Their first meeting left fans hungry for more.

Ankalaev and Pereira first clashed at UFC 313 in March 2024. The bout ended with Ankalaev claiming the light heavyweight title. Many fans and fighters felt Pereira deserved another shot right away. The UFC brass must have listened because talks of a rematch started quickly. Now, Ankalaev dropped a hint about when they will face off again.

Also Read: Guy Who Got “Sent To Dagestan 2-3 Years” Used To Train With Islam Makhachev’s Potential Rival!

Magomed Ankalaev’s Hints At Rematch

Ankalaev’s recent social media activity has taken things to another level. The message carries interesting nuggets for fight fans to unpack. He confirmed that he has been offered a specific date and has signed the deal.

“I have a date and I accepted already, I hope my opponent will accept too. This time there will be no 5 rounds, I don’t get paid by the hour.”

I have a date and I accepted already, I hope my opponent will accept too. This time there will be no 5 rounds, I don’t get paid by the hour #BigANK
— Muhammad big ANK Ankalaev (@AnkalaevM) March 20, 2025

Ankalaev has made it clear that he is not looking to change his strategy in the upcoming rematch. He revealed that he would try to finish Pereira without the fight going to the judges’ decision. His quip about not getting “paid by the hour” shows he plans to finish Pereira quickly.

Alex Pereira Responds To Magomed Ankalaev

Pereira’s response was equally intriguing though much shorter. However, instead of calling out his opponent, he called out someone else, who isn’t even a fighter.

“Let’s go Ali [Abdelaziz]. Chama.”

🚨 Alex Pereira responds after Magomed Ankalaev says he’s got a date for his next fight:

“Let’s go Ali [Abdelaziz]. Chama.” 👀🔥

(via. @AlexPereiraUFC) #UFC #MMA pic.twitter.com/VUI0epms0A
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) March 20, 2025

Pereira mentioned Ali Abdelaziz, Ankalaev’s manager. It has been long rumored that Abdelaziz is the one who is in charge of the new champion’s social media accounts. This rumor has some backing, given that Ankalaev doesn’t speak English.

Alex Pereira doesn’t typically engage in social media back-and-forth unless a fight is actually brewing. His willingness to respond to Ankalaev’s post indicates real interest. The Brazilian has never backed down from any challenge throughout his combat sports career.

Both fighters have been on impressive runs since leading up to their last meeting. Ankalaev dismantled Johnny Walker with a knockout that silenced critics. He followed that with a dominant performance against Aleksandar Rakic. These wins firmly established him as the division’s top contender. Pereira, meanwhile, defended his title with spectacular knockouts over Jamahal Hill, Jiri Prochazka and Khalil Rountree.

The timing for this rematch makes perfect sense for the UFC’s upcoming schedule. International Fight Week in July needs a big headliner. A championship grudge match between these two would fit perfectly. Or they could save it for the massive Madison Square Garden card in November. Either way, fight fans win!

(Image Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie – Imagn Images)

Alex Pereira

Magomed Ankalaev

UFC 313

Zaid Quraishi

mma

I am a dedicated MMA and Boxing content writer at The Playoffs. I was instantly hooked on MMA after watching the fight between Lyoto Machida vs. Gegard Mousasi back in 2014, and since then, i have been an avid writer with a deep love for the sport and its techniques, providing readers with a thorough understanding of the sport. My favorite aspect of working at The Playoffs is the creative freedom it provides. The diverse range of topics, from listicles and SEO to news articles, keeps me engaged and motivates me to continuously improve my skills! I aim to capture the excitement of the combat sports world in my writing, acting as the middleman between fighters and their die-hard fans. It is kind of like a referee, but with words!