Magomed Ankalaev has not moved on from Alex Pereira. The former light heavyweight champion says a third meeting remains the fight he wants, even with Pereira now campaigning at heavyweight after vacating the 205-pound title. Ankalaev returns this weekend against Bogdan Guskov, but he made clear that a win would not end his interest in settling a series he views as unfinished. His position is straightforward: he is prepared to pursue Pereira at either light heavyweight or heavyweight if that is what it takes to make a decider happen.
The immediate focus is Guskov, a bout that gives Ankalaev an opportunity to get back on track following the UFC 320 rematch in which Pereira took the light heavyweight title back from him. Yet Ankalaev’s comments show that his longer-term target remains Pereira. He said he has business left in the light heavyweight division, which means his pursuit of a third fight is not presented as an exclusive move to heavyweight. Instead, he described a willingness to chase the matchup wherever Pereira is competing. That distinction matters because Pereira’s departure from light heavyweight has removed the most direct route to another fight between them.
Why Ankalaev sees a trilogy as unfinished
Ankalaev framed the rivalry around its 1-1 score. He said he won the first meeting and lost the second, and he argued that the split makes a third contest compelling for fans. He was also clear that he does not regard the rematch loss as a reason to abandon the idea of another meeting. In his view, the series needs a deciding fight. That is the central point behind his pursuit. Ankalaev is not simply revisiting a previous opponent; he is describing a matchup that, from his perspective, has no final resolution because each fighter has a victory. He said, “We are 1-1,” before adding that he believes the third fight “should be very exciting for the fans.” His comments stop short of identifying a date, event or formal plan, but they establish the fight he intends to seek while Pereira remains active. The practical complication is that Pereira vacated the light heavyweight championship to pursue history as a potential first three-division champion. He is now campaigning at heavyweight. That shift does not erase Ankalaev’s interest, but it changes the route to the fight. A third meeting would no longer have an obvious path through the light heavyweight title picture described in the source material.
Ankalaev addressed that uncertainty directly by leaving both weight classes open. “I will be chasing that fight, no matter if it takes place at heavyweight or light heavyweight,” he said in a translated interview with Red Corner MMA, with the quotes reported via MMA Junkie. He also acknowledged that Pereira has moved up, while emphasizing that he is not focused only on him because he still has work to do at light heavyweight. The wording is significant because it separates Ankalaev’s ambition from a confirmed booking. He has stated the target and the divisions in which he would consider it, but no third fight has been announced in the supplied material. For now, the confirmed next step is his weekend matchup with Guskov. The Pereira trilogy remains a stated goal rather than an arranged contest, and Ankalaev’s return provides the immediate competitive setting for that pursuit.
Guskov comes before any Pereira rematch
A fight with Guskov is the concrete task in front of Ankalaev. After Pereira regained the title in their UFC 320 rematch, Ankalaev is returning with the stated aim of getting back on track. That context gives his weekend appearance importance without requiring assumptions about what follows it. The source material does not establish a title opportunity, a heavyweight debut or any timetable for another Pereira bout. Ankalaev’s public stance nevertheless leaves little doubt about his preference. He believes Pereira’s continued activity keeps the possibility alive, saying that as long as Pereira is not retired, he is sure the UFC would be interested. It is an expression of confidence, not confirmation from the promotion. The only firm takeaway is that Ankalaev wants the trilogy and says he will pursue it across either of the two divisions discussed.
- Immediate assignment: Ankalaev returns this weekend against Bogdan Guskov as he looks to rebound from the UFC 320 rematch loss.
- Long-term target: Ankalaev says he will chase a third Pereira fight at light heavyweight or heavyweight, while acknowledging business remains at 205 pounds.
| Confirmed development | What the source establishes |
|---|---|
| Series status | Ankalaev says he and Pereira are 1-1 after their first two fights. |
| Pereira’s move | Pereira vacated the light heavyweight title and is campaigning at heavyweight. |
| Ankalaev’s next fight | Ankalaev returns this weekend against Bogdan Guskov. |
Ankalaev’s message is not that a Pereira trilogy is imminent. It is that he considers the rivalry unresolved and intends to keep pursuing it. His willingness to consider both light heavyweight and heavyweight broadens the stated pursuit, but the near-term reality is Guskov. A successful return would not guarantee a third Pereira fight, yet it would come as Ankalaev continues to publicly press for the decider he believes the 1-1 series deserves.
Sources: MMA News
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