“He was rotten inside due to the things he used, he was contaminated. It wasn’t easy to turn him into what he’s become.” Alex Pereira’s coach Belocqua Wera confessed in a past interview. ‘Poatan’s battle with alcohol wasn’t just a personal struggle, it nearly cost him his career before it even began. From a young age, he found himself caught in its grasp, a battle that took years to overcome. That’s why he could not take his next opponent’s jibe lightly.

As Pereira prepares for UFC 313, his past has become a target for trash talk. Magomed Ankalaev’s recent comments on his outside-the-cage antics may have been meant as mind games, but to those who know Pereira’s story, they land differently.

Alex Pereira shuts down Magomed Ankalaev’s attempt at bringing up his past ahead of UFC 313

Magomed Ankalaev may be preparing for war inside the Octagon, but his recent pre-fight trash talk took an unexpected turn. In a post on X, the Russian contender took aim at Pereira and wrote, “@AlexPereiraUFC he go to all UFC fight to get free alcohol and get camera time on the other hand I’ve been training so hard March 8 alcohol not help you.”

It didn’t take long for Pereira to fire back. But rather than engage in the usual back-and-forth, he took a different route. The Brazilian champion dismissed Ankalaev’s words, not for himself, but for the countless others who know the weight of addiction.

Speaking on a video uploaded to his YouTube channel, Alex Pereira stated, “I don’t even pay attention to what he says, the thing he said most about was the alcohol, I don’t have that feeling just for me, because I know the pain of the people.”

This isn’t the first time Pereira has used his platform to speak on addiction. Just last year, he and mentor and UFC veteran Glover Teixeira visited young people battling substance abuse in Connecticut. During the event, ‘Poatan’ confessed, “It was very difficult for me. Every year that passed, it was increasing. There was a time when I decided to stop. Now, where I lived, I didn’t have the knowledge of medical help or a group of people like what is happening here.”

As such, for Pereira, this wasn’t just an attack on his past, it was an attack on those still fighting their own battles. The champion further shared, “He is playing with the feelings of the fans, feelings of the people who go through that. For what he is going to do at the fight, what he isn’t going to do, I just stick to myself.”

But while the war of words continues, the real battle is yet to come on March 8. UFC 313 isn’t just another title defense for Pereira, it’s a proving ground. Many in the MMA sphere feel Ankalaev poses the toughest challenge for the Brazilian so far in his UFC run. But according to a former middleweight champion, there’s one crucial aspect that’s key for Magomed Ankalaev in this fight!

Robert Whittaker wants Ankalaev to ‘shoot’ at Pereira from the opening bell 

Magomed Ankalaev is walking into UFC 313 with confidence. But is he walking into a trap? Former champion Robert Whittaker seems to think so. Speaking on the ‘MMArcade’ podcast, ‘The Reaper’ shared, “If I’m coaching Ankalaev, I want him dropping to both knees and shooting from across the cage.”

The Australian’s advice is based on the fact that Alex Pereira has knocked out all 4 of his previous opponents. He doesn’t just win, he ends fights. And if Ankalaev gives him space to strike, Whittaker sees trouble coming fast.

Why? According to Whittaker, “Because you see every standup fight Pereira is in, every single one of them, even when he’s hurt, even when he’s getting hit like when he was with Rountree. He’s just comfortable there.”  In the end, Whittaker’s prediction is clear. If Ankalaev doesn’t take Pereira down within the first three minutes, he doesn’t make it out of the first round.

With the stakes sky-high at UFC 313, the clash between Pereira and Ankalaev is more than just a title fight—it’s a battle of styles, mindsets, and resilience.

Alex Pereira has already conquered demons outside the cage, proving his strength beyond the Octagon. But inside it, Magomed Ankalaev poses a different kind of threat. Will the Russian challenger heed Whittaker’s warning and wrestle from the opening bell? Or will he test his luck against a man who turns mistakes into knockouts? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!