Magomed Ankalaev’s manager has publicly suggested the former Light Heavyweight champion was compromised during his fight at UFC 320 on Saturday night.
The highly anticipated rematch saw Ankalaev completely overwhelmed by Alex Pereira, who reclaimed the 205 lb title with a shocking 80-second TKO victory at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The result was a dramatic reversal from their first meeting.
In March, Ankalaev had looked superb, comfortably winning a unanimous decision over Pereira at UFC 313. Fans were therefore stunned when the Russian fighter put on one of the worst performances in a UFC title defence in recent memory at UFC 320, failing to make it out of the first two minutes of the bout.
Ankalaev’s Manager Hints at Undisclosed Issues
On Sunday evening, influential MMA manager Ali Abdelaziz, who represents major stars including Khabib Nurmagomedov, Kamaru Usman, and Henry Cejudo, posted a lengthy statement on his Instagram account.
The post served primarily to address criticism directed at him for initiating social media confrontations between the two fighters. Abdelaziz confirmed that Ankalaev had approved all the controversial statements made on his social media ahead of the event. However, the manager then dropped a significant, cryptic hint regarding Ankalaev’s readiness for the fight:
“There’s a lot of things happened with Ankalaev in his camp. But, it’s for him to talk about. Not me. And if I need to talk about it, I will talk about it. If it was up to me, he should never have fought due to some things. But he’s a grown man, he makes his own decisions, and he lives by his actions.”
This statement strongly implies the former champion was struggling with an injury or another serious issue, suggesting Abdelaziz advised against him taking the title defense.
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Ankalaev’s Statement Focuses on Faith, Not Injury
In contrast to his manager’s claims, Magomed Ankalaev broke his silence just hours earlier with a statement that made no mention of training camp issues or physical setbacks. The devout Muslim’s post was centred on acceptance and spiritual growth.
“If Allah tested me with defeat, it means he wants to strengthen me,” Ankalaev wrote on Instagram. “I bow to his will, but not to difficulties. To those who stayed by my side – thank you. Thank you also to those who turned away. After all, Allah clears the path not only of weakness, but also of unnecessary people.”
