UFC 313 is set to deliver fireworks as light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira defends his title against the dangerous Magomed Ankalaev. Slated for March 8th, this high-stakes showdown pits Pereira’s striking mastery against Ankalaev’s well-rounded skill set. The Russian powerhouse boasts a mix of striking and grappling that makes him one of the most dangerous contenders at 205 lbs. Riding an impressive unbeaten streak, Ankalaev has shown he can break opponents down with relentless pressure and elite wrestling—a potential kryptonite to Pereira’s stand-up game.

Since the time the fight has been announced, there have been talks about the Russian elite grappling skills. Although we have seen Pereira knockout his opponents, in the past. He has hardly faced anyone who is so dominating on the ground. For Ankalaev, he is more than ready to showcase his striking skills as well and has promised that he won’t grapple with ‘Poatan’. But just like old times, Pereira is walking into the fight high on confidence and believes more in his preparation, which he has been putting behind the scenes.

However, Pereira isn’t quite fazed with the hype surrounding his opponent. Moreover, he is looking forward to the grappling challenge and has issued a warning for the 32-year-old. During a recent interview with New York Post Sports, he said, “Yeah, I’m really excited about this fight, you know. This is going to be a great experience. And you know I can make his words my own as well. Let’s see if he can stand 25 minutes doing that. If he can’t grapple me for 25 minutes, then he’s gonna have to stand up.” 

The Brazilian fighter further pointed out how he has been working extensively with his coach on his grappling skills. In his career, the champion has been tested by Jan Blachowicz at UFC 291 on the ground. He did fairly well in the fight, and before his UFC 313 he wants to do the same. During the conversation, he further added, “So you know, I think this is a fight that’s gonna bring that out in me and make me show everyone what I have been doing with my grappling.” Since the fight has been announced, experts are waiting to see what approach both fighters take up in the clash. Robert Whittaker is also excited for the fight but has some words of advice for Ankalaev.

Magomed Ankalaev should stick to grappling feels Robert Whittaker

Alex Pereira has made it clear that his game plan remains unchanged for this fight. On the other hand, his challenger is confident that his relentless style will pose serious problems for the champion. After having all of his finishes by knockout, Ankalaev is looking to engage in a pure striking battle with Pereira, which might not be the right idea according to many out there. Robert Whittaker also shares the same sentiment, believing that standing and trading with Pereira would hamper his chances of winning the fight. ‘The Reaper’ believes that Ankalaev should look to take down Pereira as quickly as possible. A slight delay in execution can lead to a devastating knockout by the champion.

While speaking to Jonny Roses on his MMArcade podcast, he said, “I wanna see—if I am coaching Ankalaev, I’m like—I want him dropping to both knees and shooting from across the cage. I want him like, army crawling to Pereira’s ankles. We are blanking in 25 minutes. We need to slow him down or we need to get him to a position where he’s uncomfortable. We need to start making threat levels elsewhere.” The former middleweight champion feels standing up with Pereira will be ‘Silly’, as he is the most comfortable there and he has proved that in his last few fights. Simply put, Whittaker recognized the smartest approach—focus entirely on wrestling and avoid striking with Pereira at all costs.

So what should Magomed Ankalaev do when he steps inside the Octagon on March 8th? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.