Magomed Ankalaev explains UFC PI altercation with Alex Pereira
UFC light heavyweight champ Magomed Ankalaev explains UFC PI altercation with Alex Pereira.
Brendan Schaub echoes Din Thomas’ sentiment on Magomed Ankalaev’s value to the UFC.
Thomas, who works as a UFC analyst, stirred up controversy when he doubled down on his suggestion of trading UFC light heavyweight champion Ankalaev to the PFL for Dakota Ditcheva. Not only does Schaub agree, but he thinks Ankalaev as champion is detrimental to the UFC.
Ankalaev (21-1-1 MMA, 12-1-1 UFC) runs things back with Alex Pereira (12-3 MMA, 9-2 UFC) in Saturday’s UFC 320 headliner from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas (pay-per-view, FX/ESPNews/Disney+, ESPN+).
“The UFC business model now would make more money off Dakota than with Magomed,” Schaub said on his YouTube channel. “A matter of fact, Magomed is actually hurting the UFC. It’s f*cked up to say because if he goes out and beats Alex, who’s a much bigger star than him, it actually hurts the UFC.”
Schaub went on to explain how, unlike Ankalaev, the UFC would be maximizing money and endorsements deals with Ditcheva.
“A pretty girl who is very talented, who’s a 500 fighter, we can get more money out of than this guy from Dagestan who’s a beast but isn’t good on the mic,” Schaub said. “His sh*t talking is a little dicey, and he’s also so good that the stars you want to be the face of the UFC, he beats. That’s an issue.”
