Pereira and Ankalaev’s had an awkward P.I. encounter. Things got heated in Las Vegas when UFC stars Alex Pereira and Magomed Ankalaev bumped into each other before their upcoming fight at UFC 320. A video posted online shows the two light heavyweights having an awkward, tense exchange at the UFC Performance Institute.
Everything began when Pereira walked into the UFC Performance Institute and was told at the front desk that Ankalaev was in another room. “Poatan” went to check but didn’t see him there. Pereira and his team then moved to the next room and sat down on a couch next to Ankalaev’s coach.
The video then skipped ahead to a scene where Ankalaev was sitting beside his coach, looking annoyed that Pereira’s group was now sitting so close. Pereira’s coach, Plinio Cruz, accused Ankalaev of hiding in the other room. Because neither Ankalaev nor his coach speaks English, the two sides struggled to communicate until Melvin Alexander Jovel pulled out a translation app on his phone so both fighters can talk.
Pereira said Ankalaev “seems nervous”, and the Russian champion spoke to the phone so “Poatan” could hear the translation.
Ankalaev: “When did you see I was hiding?”
Pereira: “Everybody saw that. The girl working there said [you were hiding].”
Ankalaev: “Which girl said that? Show it to me. I was getting treatment.”
Pereira: “We have video [on Youtube]. We filmed it.”
The man doing the translation adds that the receptionist asked them to be separated for security reasons. Ankalaev: “What the girl said doesn’t matter. He wanted to see me, and I’m here.”
Pereira: “What’s the point now? He can say what he wants now. We can’t fight now.”
Ankalaev: “It makes no difference to me. Anytime.”
At that point, Pereira stood up walks to Ankalaev holding his phone and translating his words from Portuguese to Russian.
Pereira: “We’re professionals. I respect you. But on Oct. 4, I will hit you. I will slap your face.”
Pereira sat back down, Pereira’s training partner Glover Teixeira laughed at the whole situation, and Ankalaev had his words translated.
Ankalaev: “We’ll fight on Oct. 4 and we don’t have to exchange words anymore.”
Pereira: “I’ve never said anything, he’s always talked. I’ve never said anything, he’s always talked. And now that we’re close, face to face, he’s an asshole.”
Ankalaev: “What is he talking about? What makes you say I’m hiding from you?”
Pereira: “He’s there with his team. ‘Do you want to go in there? It’s better.’ The girl said.”
The man helping with the translation added that the UFC P.I. receptionist said that Ankalaev had agreed to wait in the separate room because Pereira and his team were arriving there. Ankalaev had a long answer in Russian, which the man summarized as, “Basically, he was kept [inside that room] and told he couldn’t leave.” Pereira then said “Chama”, and Ankalaev responds “No Chama.” Ankalaev told his coach to leave.
Ankalaev: “Let’s go. October 4.”
Their history added spice to the moment. Ankalaev beat Pereira by decision at UFC 313 to win the light heavyweight belt, and Pereira has been chasing a rematch ever since. This encounter shows that their second meeting more than just a title, it’s personal. On October 4, all the talk will stop when they meet again inside the Octagon.
