The upcoming title defense by Alex Pereira in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight division may not be against Magomed Ankalaev, as Ankalaev is scheduled to fight Aleksandar Rakic on October 26, 2024.
This unexpected change in opponents has left former champion Daniel Cormier puzzled, but he is in support of Ankalaev taking on a different challenge.
Speaking on the Good Guy/Bad Guy podcast, Cormier expressed his confusion over Pereira not facing Ankalaev: “I don’t know why that’s not happening. What I do like is that now Ankalaev has to pass another test.”
Ankalaev’s impressive track record and skill set make him a formidable adversary, and Cormier recognizes the strategic reasoning behind postponing the match.
Many believe that Ankalaev could pose the toughest challenge yet for Pereira, prompting the decision to potentially delay their confrontation.
Cormier understands the logic of safeguarding Pereira and sees the possibility that facing another striker first could be beneficial for Pereira’s career.
