“You just signed your death certificate.” The words hung like ice crystals—cold, sharp, and unforgiving. When Magomed Ankalaev threw this verbal grenade via X at Alex Pereira last month, it wasn’t just another social media barb. It was a declaration of war from a man who believes the universe owes him retribution. As T-Mobile Arena prepares to host UFC 313 on March 8th, the narrative has transcended typical pre-fight hype. This is no longer just about gold—it’s about vindication! Ankalaev, the Dagestani juggernaut forged in the same crucible that produced Khabib and Makhachev, has carried the weight of perceived injustice for months.

Every training session, every prayer during Ramadan, every moment of his existence has been shadowed by one question: “Why not me?” Now, as he finally gets his answer, that frustration has condensed into something more dangerous—focused rage. Across the Octagon waits Pereira, the man they call ‘Poatan’. The 205lbs kingpin carries the confidence of someone who dances with violence for a living. What makes this collision particularly fascinating is the stylistic chess match it presents. Pereira’s striking against Ankalaev’s ground game. It’s fire versus earth, chaos versus control.

The glimpse of vulnerability Pereira showed against Jan Błachowicz’s wrestling has become the North Star guiding Ankalaev’s preparation. In those brief moments where the champion found himself earthbound, the challenger saw a map to victory. As fight week unfolds like a slow-burning fuse, the MMA world has become a divided house of prophets and skeptics. Even Tim Welch has been drawn into the gravitational pull of this contest.

While analyzing the event on his YouTube podcast with guest Joe Riggs, Welch highlighted Ankalaev’s social media jab at Pereira. When ‘Poatan’ posted a short clip of himself wrestling with a teammate, Ankalaev wasted no time responding: “Hope you [are] ready to do this for 25 mins.” Reflecting on Ankalaev’s words, Welch remarked, “Magomed Ankalaev is 20 wins with one loss. He’s facing Pereira. Is this going to be the end of Alex?.. Hope Alex cracks him with that left hook to the lips and puts his a-s down. I don’t know. I mean, his last fight, he stood up the whole time, so he could just be saying that to freak him out a little bit.”

Despite his high-level wrestling background, the Dagestani prospect has never won a fight by submission. Most of his victories have come via decision, TKO, or knockout. However, that doesn’t mean he won’t lean on his grappling when necessary. A prime example was his UFC 282 title fight against then-champion Jan Blachowicz.

In the early rounds, Błachowicz effectively targeted Ankalaev’s legs, inflicting visible damage. Sensing the danger, ‘Russian Terror’ adapted his approach, leaning on his wrestling to control the later rounds. Though the fight ended in a draw, it proved that Ankalaev won’t hesitate to utilize his grappling skills against Alex Pereira.

Magomed Ankalaev backtracks on no-wrestling strategy against Alex Pereira

“Alex Pereira, I’ll make a deal like I did with Johnny [Walker], but this time, it’s all about kickboxing. I’m going to test your jaw,” Magomed Ankalaev confidently wrote last month on X, issuing a bold challenge to the reigning light heavyweight champion. ‘Russian Terror’ promised to deliver kicks more destructive than what Israel Adesanya delivered against Pereira at UFC 287. Ankalaev will want nothing less than the gold while Pereira will look to further cement his reign with a fabled fourth ruby.

However, this fight is considered the most stylistically challenging for Alex Pereira, due to Ankalaev’s formidable Sambo background. Despite the increasing focus on Pereira’s improved wrestling and grappling, the Dagestani prospect has now modified his approach. In a recent appearance on The MachLife Plus show, Ankalaev discussed the change in his strategy.

Reflecting on his previous remarks, he shared, “As we’ve said before, opinions can shift, and people say what they feel they need to. But it’s not that I’m solely focusing on wrestling him. I’m not underestimating my striking skills. I can stand and trade with him, and I can wrestle with him. What’s clear to me is that this is the most important fight of my life. Opportunities like this are rare, and I’ll do whatever it takes to win—whether that means striking or wrestling.”

What are your thoughts on Tim Welch’s comment? Do you believe Alex Pereira can finish Magomed Ankalaev as he did with his last three opponents, or will ‘Russian Terror’s wrestling be enough to neutralize Pereira’s power and take control? Share your prediction below.