UFC champ Alex Pereira thinks Jiri Prochazka more than likely subsequent in line: 'Ankalaev goes to have to attend'

UFC gentle heavyweight champion Alex Pereira expects to run issues again with Jiri Prochazka subsequent.

Pereira (10-2 MMA, 7-1 UFC) notched his first title protection when he knocked out Jamahal Hill within the UFC 300 headliner. On the identical night time, Prochazka completed Aleksandar Rakic, rebounding from his title loss to Pereira at UFC 295.

High contender Magomed Ankalaev (19-1-1 MMA, 10-1-1 UFC), who’s coming off a knockout of Johnny Walker in January, is campaigning for a title shot. Nonetheless, it seems he gained’t be getting his want.

“Breaking information,” Pereira mentioned by way of an interpreter throughout a UFC 301 media scrum (h/t MMA Preventing). “I feel if I anticipate (Ankalaev vs. Prochazka), it is going to take too lengthy. I wish to battle sooner than that.

“And I feel, so far as we all know, more than likely the following in line goes to be Prochazka. Ankalaev goes to have to attend just a little bit. I do know Jamahal Hill’s been speaking some trash, however can be going to have to attend just a little longer. I feel Prochazka’s the following one.”

Pereira’s selection comes based mostly on timing, and his willingness to leap into one other coaching camp quickly.

“We advised them once we wish to battle,” Pereira mentioned. “Nothing about no one but – we don’t know. However they mentioned as a result of time-frame, more than likely it’s going to be Prochazka. However anybody on the market that wishes to battle, we’ll go together with it.

Prochazka (30-4-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) known as out Pereira after knocking out Rakic. He was sad with the stoppage in his loss to Pereira this previous November, pondering referee Marc Goddard intervened too early.

However “Poatan” doesn’t anticipate a special model of Prochazka in the event that they rematch.

“I don’t suppose he’ll present up an excessive amount of of a special fighter as a result of in comparison with my evolution that I’ve had in just some MMA fights, he has over 20 fights,” Pereira mentioned. “He’s been preventing for a very long time.

“I feel for each fighter, you get to that time that you just begin evolving much less as a result of mileage that you’ve on this sport as a result of quantity of fights they’ve and expertise. So I feel I’m going to evolve extra from the earlier battle than he does.”