Alex Pereira was dethroned from the light heavyweight crown by Magomed Ankalaev last month at UFC 313. Following the fight, discussions about a potential rematch have been ongoing, with both fighters expressing interest in a second bout.
Recently, former UFC star Vitor Belfort weighed in on the rematch talks between Pereira and Ankalaev, offering in-depth advice to the Brazilian star ahead of a potential second showdown.
Vitor Belfort Shares Strategy for Alex Pereira vs. Magomed Ankalaev
Pereira started strong against Ankalaev at UFC 313, but from the second round onward, the Russian made a solid comeback, pressuring “Poatan” against the cage and landing significant strikes. That said, the Brazilian also showcased impressive skills by neutralizing all of Ankalaev’s takedown attempts, despite the Russian’s well-known wrestling prowess.
In the five-round, action-packed affair, the fight went to the judges’ scorecards, who scored it 46-49, 47-48, and 47-48 in favor of Ankalaev. Given how close the fight was, talks of a rematch have already begun circulating, with both fighters expressing interest in running it back.
Speaking to Helen Yee, Belfort was asked about his advice to Pereira for a potential rematch against Ankalaev. He emphasized that a core principle he believes could be crucial for the former two-division champion is finding momentum in the fight to land effective strikes.
“You know, I think it’s easy for me to give advice. I’m on the outside. I think the key is finding momentum, not trying to be more light or elusive. It’s more about finding their uppercuts, working more in different combinations, because they’re going to try to grab you. So you need to be able to get out of that situation,” Belfort said.
Belfort advised Pereira to stay on the outside against Ankalaev and emphasized the importance of distance management. He highlighted the knockout power that Poatan possesses and encouraged him to find the right momentum to land a finishing strike.
“I believe it’s hard to stay in the pocket against Pereira, so they’re always going to pretend to stay in the pocket and then come in. That fight, I call the Randy Couture style, where they punch and grab, punch and grab,” Belfort said.
“So he’s got to be able to find that momentum. I call it the “knockout momentum” because he’s such a powerful knockout artist. He needs to find that moment and stay on the outside,” Belfort continued.
Ankalaev, in a recent social media post, shared that he is open to giving Pereira a rematch in August.