Over the past decade, Dagestani fighters have taken over the MMA landscape, producing some of the most dominant champions like Khabib Nurmagomedov and Islam Makhachev. Joining the elite list now is newly crowned lightweight champion Magomed Ankalaev. Unlike his Dagestani counterparts who prefer to do most of the work on the ground, Ankalaev is an elite striker. One thing common between the three, is none find themselves in controversies. But Chael Sonnen feels Ankalaev doesn’t quite fit in this particular narrative – not exactly, that is.

The 32-year-old has been constantly trolling legends like Jon Jones. He is even showing his interest in fighting Tom Aspinall, as his recent tweets on X suggest. The former UFC fighter feels this is the right way to go about the business and stay relevant among the fans once you become the champion. And for his most recent antic, Sonnen took to his Instagram account to point out how the 32-year-old is in a better place than the lightweight champion Islam Makhachev. Makhachev rarely engages in any sort of talks outside the Octagon which doesn’t quite allow him to stay in the news.

Sonnen said, “Ankalaev knows what time it is. And so many guys don’t. So many guys do not understand the need to draw the attention and the curiosity of the audience.”  This reluctance to stay in the news can sometimes work against them in a sport where hype and entertainment are key factors, feels Sonnen.

He further compared Ankalaev’s approach to Makhachev’s and further added, “They don’t even understand it. I do my talking in the ring. That’s the word of no star ever. But it’s a word of a lot of the guys. Islam Makhachev was in a worse spot perception-wise, two years ago than Ankalaev is right now. He’s a massive star.” 

The cultural background of the Dagestani fighters plays a significant role in their approach. Hailing from a region deeply rooted in discipline, respect, and honor, Dagestani fighters always stay focused on their task at hand. While they may not be the most outspoken personalities, their presence in the octagon speaks volumes. But Magomed Ankalaev is definitely different as claimed by Sonnen. He has once again ignited his rivalry with Alex Pereira with claims of cheating incidents at UFC 313.

Magomed Ankalaev promises Alex Pereira for a rematch despite cheating claims

Newly crowned light heavyweight champion Magomed Ankalaev is finding ways to keep his rivalry with Alex Pereira intact. After beating ‘Poatan’ convincingly at UFC 313, Ankalaev and his team have now accused the Brazilian of cheating. During a recent conversation with Ushatayka, Ankalaev’s coach Sukhrab Magomedov pointed out how ‘Poatan’ used unfair means during his fight at UFC 313.

He said, “When Magomed pushed him against the fence in our corner, it seemed Pereira was greased with something. Ankalaev said afterwards that he smelled like he had some sort of ointment on and he was sticky. The sweat didn’t drop off his body, it stuck. That’s what it looked like on his body too.” 

Despite all the claims ‘The Russian Terror’ is open for a rematch. The 32-year-old fighter took to his X account and tweeted, “Alex when you’re ready to go again. You deserve this”. Ankalaev isn’t just granting Alex Pereira a rematch out of goodwill. On the contrary, he has plenty to gain from it as well. This is his shot to silence the doubters, secure a statement victory, and walk away with both a massive payday and a successful title defense. For Ankalaev, this isn’t just about settling a rivalry—it’s about cementing his legacy.

Pereira is presently recovering from his loss and plans to make a return later this year. Do you think the rematch between the two might be on the cards? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!