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

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‘A Sh*t Champion’ – Alex Pereira Taunts Magomed Ankalaev Over Alleged Room Hiding Incident

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

The bad blood between Alex Pereira and Magomed Ankalaev has reached new levels of petty. These two fighters have been going back and forth ever since before their first encounter at UFC 313, where Ankalaev took the belt from the Brazilian striker via unanimous decision. What started as typical pre-fight trash talk has evolved into something much more personal, with both men taking shots at each other’s character rather than just their fighting skills.

The tension between them makes perfect sense when fans consider their contrasting styles and personalities. Pereira built his reputation as a knockout artist who walks forward and throws bombs. Meanwhile Ankalaev prefers a more calculated approach that relies on wrestling and grinding out victories. Now, as UFC 320 approaches, a new chapter has unfolded and the story has taken an unexpected turn!

Alex Pereira Reveals The UFC PI Showdown That Never Was

According to Pereira’s version of events, what happened at the UFC Performance Institute reads like a drama. The Brazilian claimed he was training at the facility when he spotted Ankalaev’s coach but noticed the champion himself was nowhere to be seen. This wouldn’t be unusual by itself. Fighters train at different times to avoid each other all the time. But what Pereira says happened next is where things get interesting.

As Pereira (12-3) told it on his YouTube channel, someone on his team overheard a UFC employee tell Ankalaev that it was safe to come out because Pereira had left the building. The implication was clear. The current light heavyweight champion was literally hiding in a room to avoid an awkward encounter with his challenger. If true, this paints a picture of Ankalaev as someone who talks a big game online but doesn’t want that same energy in person.

“I saw Ankalaev’s coach there. I stayed to myself, I didn’t see Ankalaev there. And the funny thing is, when I left the PI, when I got into my car, someone from my team was still inside and he heard the girl from the PI say to Ankalaev, ‘He can come now, he’s already left.They hid the guy in a little room man…What kind of champion is that man? A sh*t champion. I know that’s harsh, but he’s a sh*tty champion, man.”

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Pereira didn’t hold back in his reaction to this alleged incident. The Brazilian pointed out that he has no intention of starting fights outside the octagon but found it ridiculous that a champion would go to such lengths to avoid a simple face to face encounter. This kind of pre-fight psychological warfare isn’t new, but it rarely involves accusations of literally hiding from your opponent.

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

Alex Pereira

Magomed Ankalaev

UFC 320

Zaid Quraishi

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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!