‘They don’t know my floor’

Alex Pereira just isn’t afraid of Magomed Ankalaev’s floor recreation.

UFC gentle heavyweight champion Pereira (10-2 MMA, 7-1 UFC) is focusing on a return in summer season, and expects to run issues again with Jiri Prochazka subsequent. Pereira knocked out Prochazka to say the vacant 205-pound title at UFC 295 – a stoppage Prochazka argued was too early.

Pereira has since defend his title as soon as by knocking out Jamahal Hill at UFC 300 in April. On the identical night time, Prochazka (30-4-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) rebounded with a knockout of his personal towards Aleksandar Rakic.

“I’m not the man to name names. I’m not the man to select the combat,” Pereira advised Sportsnet by way of an interpreter. “(I’ll combat) whoever (the UFC) need me to combat, however the title that’s on the desk proper now could be Jiri Prochazka. We’re nonetheless in negotiations. I wish to combat round August, however nothing concrete but.”

Though Prochazka seems to be on Pereira’s radar first, “Poatan” wouldn’t shrink back from combating Ankalaev (19-1-1 MMA, 10-1-1 UFC), who many see as his hardest check within the division.

Ankalaev is unbeaten in his previous 12 fights, most lately scoring a Efficiency of the Night time knockout of Johnny Walker in January.

“All people talks about Ankalaev, talks about his floor, however they don’t know my floor,” Pereira stated. “It’s not even to indicate (my floor recreation). (I) simply float. However I’d like to indicate a while.”