UFC light heavyweight kingpin Alex Pereira’s name is being mentioned as he is expected to return to the Octagon for his fourth title defense against top-ranked opponent Magomed Ankalaev. While the fight has yet to be officially confirmed by the UFC, it has already generated significant buzz within the MMA community. Earlier this year, the Dagestani native was seen as a potential opponent for ‘Poatan’, but those aspirations were delayed when the UFC set up an unexpected clash between the current champion and Khalil Rountree Jr., pushing Ankalaev’s pursuit of the division title further back.

However, last month, ‘Russian Terror’ made some strong comments about the potential bout, claiming, “Dana White told my team I am next for Alex. Thank you for clearing this today.” Despite these remarks, there have been no further updates on the Alex Pereira vs. Magomed Ankalaev fight, and fans are eagerly awaiting the highly anticipated clash. Recently, fellow light heavyweight contender Johnny Walker came forward to advocate for Ankalaev’s title shot.

In an interview with ‘The Schmo,’ when asked who Pereira should fight next, the former Jungle Fight contender didn’t hesitate to name Dagestani prospect, stating, “He (Alex Pereira) should fight Ankalaev. I fought him twice; nobody wants to fight him. I will fight him again very soon, probably. He is the number 1 contender and deserves a title shot.”

Walker, known for his entertaining fighting style, has struggled to make a successful run in the UFC despite being a fan favorite. He faced Ankalaev twice, in 2023 and 2024, with their first fight ending in a no-contest. Their most recent bout took place earlier this year at UFC Apex in Las Vegas, where the Dagestani prospect defeated the Brazilian native in the first round. With his bold remarks, Walker has now joined the list of fellow fighters to weigh in on the potential Pereira vs. Ankalaev matchup, adding his thoughts to the growing anticipation.

At the same time, Paul Craig, a former rival of Magomed Ankalaev, has added his name to the list by going a step further and predicting the outcome of this highly anticipated light heavyweight clash. Let’s find out who Craig is backing.

Who did Paul Craig pick to win between Magomed Ankalaev and Alex Pereira?

Paul Craig recently attempted to break his three-fight losing streak against Bo Nickal at the remarkable UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden. However, he couldn’t stand up to the three-time NCAA Division Champion and the fight has since faded into history. Nonetheless, ‘BearJew’s’ bold predictions from last month still linger in fans’ minds.

In a candid interview with talkSPORT MMA, Craig reflected on his experience fighting Magomed Ankalaev and gave his verdict on the Dagestani prospect’s chances against the Brazilian. ‘Bearjaw’ stated, “I’m gonna bet on Ankalaev to get that victory. I just believe he’s got more tools, he’s hungrier, he’s younger. He’s got all the things to make a champion, and right now in every single division, you’re looking at at least one Russian or one Dagestani guy cleaning up the rankings.”

Back in 2018, Paul Craig and Ankalaev faced off, and the Dagestani sensation was forced to tap out to Craig’s triangle choke in the third round. Since that defeat, Dagestani prospect has never looked back, building an impressive 11-fight win streak, with one draw against Jan Blachowicz.

Now, all eyes are on Dana White and the UFC as fans eagerly await the announcement of this highly anticipated light heavyweight clash. The tension is rising, especially with the heavyweight showdown between Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall also on the horizon. It remains to be seen if the promotion will announce these fights together, or if there will be further delays. Stay tuned for updates.