While the MMA world speculates whether Alex Pereira is too busy playing tourist to focus on his fight, the 205lbs champ casually brushes it off with a smirk. Cornering Sean Strickland in Australia? Check. Jetting across the world for events? Check. Preparing for a man who wants to wrestle him into oblivion? Apparently, that’s just another item on the list. But should we really doubt ‘Poatan’ at this point? After all, Magomed Ankalaev is the boogeyman of the division.

That’s exactly what Robert Whittaker was asked on the MMArcade Podcast, and his response? Cold as ice. “I’m going to go Pereira,” he said without hesitation. But then came the real dagger. “If Ankalaev doesn’t drop levels within the first three minutes, I don’t think he makes it out of the first round. I don’t want to be striking with that guy, period. He hits like a truck, he’s very comfortable and confident, like standing, so you have to get him on his back in that first round.” Translation? Ankalaev better be ready to shoot for his life, or he’s getting sent to the shadow realm before the first horn.

Dominick Reyes, a man who once gave Jon Jones a genuine identity crisis, seems to agree. “Fighting Pereira is like fighting a poisonous snake,” Reyes explained. “One wrong move, and you’re done.” You don’t get quotes like that about just anybody. That’s the kind of description reserved for cold-blooded finishers.

And then there’s the timing of it all. The UFC finally gave Magomed Ankalaev his long-overdue title shot, but with one major catch, it landed during Ramadan. The Dagestani’s road to the belt has been anything but smooth. Despite widespread recogonition as the division’s top contender, he was repeatedly sidelined while Pereira got back-to-back title opportunities. And just when the fight was set, it happened to fall during the one month that could potentially hinder his preparation. Coincidence? Maybe, maybe not.

When asked if he felt undervalued, Ankalaev remained measured. “I don’t know if they appreciate me yet, but after this fight, they will.” But Ankalaev, ever the stoic Dagestani, isn’t blinking. “Victory is granted by the Almighty,” he declared, making it clear that he’s not about to use Ramadan as an excuse. “He thinks he has a chance to beat me, but I think we will prove the opposite.” Classic pre-fight bravado, but is it enough? What is the Dagestani really in for?

Will Magomed Ankalaev be the next victim in this trail of destruction?

If Ankalaev needs a refresher on what’s coming, he should take a deep breath and watch Pereira’s greatest hits. Israel Adesanya? Knocked out of his senses. Jamahal Hill? Folded like a cheap lawn chair. Jiri Prochazka? Twice left questioning reality. And let’s not forget Sean Strickland, who once thought walking into Pereira’s left hook was a good idea. Spoiler… it wasn’t.

What makes this Brazilian so terrifying? Is it just brute force, or is there some dark magic at play? Jiri Prochazka once speculated it could be the latter. “I was focused on him, not on me,” he said on The Joe Rogan Experience, hinting at an almost supernatural presence. Even Rogan himself pondered, “Is it magic? Or just his presence as a champion?” The champ, of course, finds the whole thing hilarious. “If he really believed that, take a doll, tie my hands and feet, and then fight me,” he joked.

Magic or not, the man is a walking nightmare. And if Ankalaev isn’t careful, he’s going to wake up staring at the lights, wondering what just happened. So, is Alex Pereira about to add another body to his highlight reel, or does Ankalaev have the perfect strategy to smother him before he can get going? One thing’s for sure, when that cage door locks at UFC 313, there will be no hiding, no excuses, and no room for error. So, who are you backing? Does Pereira’s power reign supreme, or is Ankalaev ready to shake up the division? Let us know in the comments below!