LAS VEGAS – Two pivotal light heavyweight clashes take place a week apart, but one of them piques Magomed Ankalaev’s interest more.
Light heavyweight champion Ankalaev (21-1-1 MMA, 12-1-1 UFC) runs things back with Alex Pereira (12-3 MMA, 9-2 UFC) in the UFC 320 headliner on Oct. 4 from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. On the same night, former champion Jiri Prochazka (31-5-1 MMA, 5-2 UFC) meets ex-title challenger Khalil Rountree (14-6 MMA, 10-6 UFC).
Saturday, Carlos Ulberg (12-1 MMA, 8-1 UFC) takes on Dominick Reyes (15-4 MMA, 9-4 UFC) in the UFC Fight Night 260 main event at RAC Arena in Perth, Australia – and that’s the fight Ankalaev sees as the better option for a No. 1 contender bout.
“To be honest, the fight this week between Reyes and Ulberg is much more interesting to me because (Prochazka and Rountree) fought for the title multiple times – we’ve watched them in title fights,” Ankalaev told MMA Junkie and other media through an interpreter Thursday. “But the fight coming up this week is new guys. I mean, yeah, Reyes fought for the title before, but the other guy, (Ulberg) – I’m interested in this fight more than the other fight.”
Ultimately, if Ankalaev can get past Pereira a second time, he’s willing to face whoever the UFC puts in front of him.
“Honestly, I don’t care,” Ankalaev said. “I am the sitting champion, and whoever is next, I will be ready to defend my throne.”
