Oct 4, 2025; Las Vegas, Nevada, UNITED STATES; Magomed Ankalaev (red gloves) fights Alex Pereira (blue gloves) during UFC 320 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

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Did Magomed Ankalaev Fight Alex Pereira While Injured? Ali Abdelaziz Drops Shocking Hint After UFC 320!

Oct 4, 2025; Las Vegas, Nevada, UNITED STATES; Magomed Ankalaev (red gloves) fights Alex Pereira (blue gloves) during UFC 320 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

UFC fans love a good rematch, especially when it involves someone like Alex Pereira. The Brazilian knockout artist has built his reputation on dramatic finishes and ice cold composure. His clash with Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 320 had everyone buzzing. Pereira walked away victorious, but the story didn’t end there.

Ali Abdelaziz, the outspoken manager of Ankalaev never shies away from controversy. After the fight wrapped up, Abdelaziz dropped some cryptic comments that got the MMA world talking. He hinted that Magomed Ankalaev might have fought Alex Pereira while injured, suggesting his fighter wasn’t at full strength when he stepped into the octagon. The statement came loaded with respect for Pereira but also raised eyebrows about what really happened behind the scenes.

Ali Abdelaziz Speaks Out For Magomed Ankalaev

Ali Abdelaziz congratulated Pereira and his team right off the bat. He made sure everyone knew he respected Pereira’s coaches and managers, even though he doesn’t know Alex personally. The real bomb came when Abdelaziz mentioned that “a lot of things happened” during Ankalaev’s camp. He left it vague on purpose, saying it was Ankalaev’s story to tell, not his.

Ali Abdelaziz hints that Magomed Ankalaev went into last night’s fight against Alex Pereira physically compromised 😬

"Saturday night, Magomed Ankalaev fought Alex Pereira. In the rematch, and Alex Pereira won. Congratulations to him and his team. I know his coaches, managers,… pic.twitter.com/QdRUhpWH3H
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) October 6, 2025

Then came the kicker. He revealed that if it were up to him, Ankalaev shouldn’t have fought at all. That’s a massive statement coming from a manager whose job involves getting fighters into the cage. It suggests Ankalaev dealt with something serious, possibly an injury that compromised his performance. Abdelaziz insisted Ankalaev made his own choice as a grown man, but the hint was clear. This fight might not have shown us the best version of the Dagestani contender.

After UFC 313, Alex Pereira’s team had also said that their fighter was not fighting at his best. Pereira himself said that he had some injuries going into this fight and he was suffering from Norovirus. He felt that he was only 40% going into that fight, and the rematch saw him come in at his best. Now it remains to see what the UFC has in store for Ankalaev.

What This Means For A Potential Third Fight?

Despite the loss, Abdelaziz remains confident about his fighter’s future. He believes Ankalaev already beat Pereira once and can do it again under better circumstances. The manager’s faith never wavered, even after watching his guy lose on Saturday night. He promised more details would come out eventually, either from Ankalaev himself or through him if necessary. The MMA community now waits to hear what exactly went wrong during camp.

He is optimistic about Magomed Ankalaev taking on and beating Pereira in their third fight (if it happens). Anklalaev won the first fight and this gives Abdelaziz enough confidence to bet in him in the third. Whether Ankalaev fought injured or not, one thing’s certain: this story isn’t finished yet.

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

Alex Pereira

Ali Abdelaziz

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!