Can Ankalaev beat Alex Pereira?

[@ChaelSonnenOfficial]

Upgrade your wardrobe and save on @trueclassic at trueclassic.com/CHAEL! #trueclassicpodChael

[@Blackopme]

Ankalaev purposely made himself look average and only stand up in fight with Rakic, he is trying to lure Alex out. Same thing Khabib did when he fought Al laquinta, he show Conor that he is average and even Al had a chance to beat him. Conor goes in the fight super confident, and gets finished. Same set up. Ankalev is good mates with Khabib and Islam. Alex needs to really train for this one.

[@Bat_man_2000]

CHAEL Alex must whach out of what’s gonna happen next

[@seancrowley3142]

Ank could beat Pereira if he grapples the entire fight. If he doesn’t, he’s gonna get KOed. The issue is that Ank is primarily a striker…

[@Neval-rg6pk]

💯

[@ahmadfebriansyah]

Ankalaev 0 win from submission

[@seancrowley3142]

@@ahmadfebriansyah yep, and he also says he plans to strike with Alex. 🤦🏽‍♂️ Rountree probably has a better chance beating Alex in striking than Ank does…

[@nettlecarrier8259]

he literally 10-8'd Blachowicz with his wrestling with both legs severely compromised

[@seancrowley3142]

@@nettlecarrier8259 yes, the question isn’t can he wrestle…it’s will he wrestle. He didn’t attempt a single take down last weekend against Rakic..

[@pablobrightside1735]

Only person on that card that looked like they could beat Pereira was Khamzat

[@Gildhattie]

I was thinking the same thing.....we might be in line to see that, but it probably wouldn't happen until 2028

[@bizzzz]

Sounds like whitaker's teeth were a pre existing injury - re aggravated

[@ahmadfebriansyah]

Agree

[@Gustavohustle]

@@Gildhattie 2028? If Pereira still fight in 2028 he would have more than 10 title defenses lmao. he is already 37y

[@theywouldnthavetocensormei9231]

Pereira is too big.

[@letsputonthatface7296]

To be honest, after watching ankalaev's last performance, I don't see home he beats Alex. If he uses his wrestling, it would have to be on par with usman wrestling, else than that won't do anything to Alex.

[@JA-ru3il]

Alex in his next fight is going to show a lot of wrestling. If he doesn't win by knockdown he'll win by submission.

[@vitorhugo_nr]

I honestly think that alex can show us some great wrestling, and due to his uncommon strength, he could even submit ankalaev, and that would be the funniest joke ever

[@devontaylor1197]

1:13

[@BeansMcGriddle]

Uncle Ayev?

[@shehuarc2964]

All Ankalaev haters refused to aknowledge the fact that he promised not to use his greatest weapon against Rakic which is wrestling and he kept his word.

[@AB-fr2ei]

Ank is a striker tho

[@greendream4437]

Wrestling is not his biggest weapon it’s his backup weapon. And that’s good enough to fold alex

[@itsumair9681]

Blud has 31 TD Accuracy "Greatest weapon" shut up you Dagestani fan

[@vitorhugo_nr]

"his greatest weapon" tf u talking about, my man ank is a kickboxer😂

[@Sosvodirversiani5215]

his greatest weapon? Jesus fucking christ

[@TowerDoge]

To Skip Ad 1:13

[@patricknez7258]

2:40 🎯 it was actually Rakin that tried to initiate the wrestling a few times! 3:59 agree

[@anthonycaruthers1310]

Love your content Chael! So much valuable insight

[@draco2xx]

poatan will have bad intentions on his punches against ankalaev, ankalaev will get slept by poatan. he will show no mercy, and still😈

[@DarkLight-Ascending]

For me.... I would love to see Dricus come up to 205 to take on Poatan.... but I'm pretty sure it's Dricus vs Khalmzat now... which is kool too. ❤

[@zoro8117]

Pereira just recently said he will make anything to make it hard for ankalev to get a title shot. Chael :" pereira wants anakalev"

[@vishkiller23]

I think Alex gets it done . The way he fought against rakic alex have superior striking chama❤

[@geo5291]

Rakic really disappointed. The loss, whatever- but he fought a bad fights. I really like him, and that sucked to c.

[@jimmyjameswu6474]

Pereira wins.

[@blacksky9621]

No chance.

[@DecimusPrime-xg4zi]

Pussytan is getting exposed

[@bibermanx2]

Chael hinting Tom and Pereira saving MSG card :)

[@haboogimaboogi]

Prime Chael Sonnen knocks both of them out in the 1st round

[@taylorskidmore2760]

Honestly I don't see it. Ankalaev is gonna stand with Alex and he's gonna get KOd. He has the same ego problem as all the other guys, same thing happened to Izzy when he first became champ. They all wanted to prove they could stand with him and it never worked out

[@a_ya5555]

He won't stay standing, he didn't with blachowicz. He had to go for the takedowns

[@wynsonrao5177]

​@a_ya5555 he only committed to wrestling in round 3 tho, after his legs got puréed. Against Alex I think he tests out how the striking feels in a slow 1st round and shoots for a single with 2 min left. After that, who knows if he feels confident enough to stay standing

[@a_ya5555]

@@wynsonrao5177 He's stubborn but I think he should go to wrestling early as well, unless his striking looks good early on. Even then he should probably wrestle and be multi--dimensional so people can learn what he has.

[@wynsonrao5177]

@@a_ya5555 I agree he needs to establish the threat and not allow Alex to get his reads and rhythm. Break up the flow of the fight every couple minutes at most, but that's assuming he doesn't manage to hold Alex down. I'm relatively confident and rooting for Alex to beat him, but if Ank locks in he can make it really difficult

[@a_ya5555]

@@wynsonrao5177 I can't see pereria beating him when ANK starts talking about pereria now, he describes that he does his kicks and throws his outside lefts to put people away, I think ANK has been training for this lately and watched a lot of tape on it. Won't be so easy anymore even without the wrestling threat of ank, if he has trained for alex's haymaker lefts. Rakic is very good, dangerous, ank is just better. I feel like alex is like rakic but with a better left, not much else

[@sock6567]

Quickest way to get pereira v aspinall is for jones and stipe to both retire after their fight. Aspinall v pereira for the vacant

[@popsongromance]

chael how much do you generally point to the corner in each video?

[@a_ya5555]

Rakic is VERY good, ANK is better but Rakic is very elusive and moves well.

[@AiDMostar]

Still waiting on the shara Bullet video uncle Chael

[@kmore8866]

Not the Rachik 😭

[@dulezninjaman4788]

Honorable mentions: cereal grain jan blahovavic Juri prokraev Makolchev Elon culabra

[@GreatestOneEver]

Even though DC is older I can see him wacking Khamzat into submission with a cane or cudgel

[@heatwaverbs5423]

fuck no, bro's listening to dc gaslighting everyone in his dreams

[@theywouldnthavetocensormei9231]

He would shame him with the disrespect of his generation. Set that whippersnapper straight.

[@a_ya5555]

Dc is a good wrestler but he was always undersized at 5'11 against these 6'4-6'5 guys

[@a_ya5555]

I want to see Iron chin DDP fight pereria. DDP who beat an entire gracie team

[@stevencorey143]

Personally I do not see how Ankalaev who seems to strongly dislike choosing to wrestle is going to beat Alex. Have I missed something within his last 4 fights?

[@indivisible885]

I cant say shite. I picked all the guys who lost last weekend. But i did tell you what Max's gameplan was, 💯

[@redtargetball]

Any high level black belt in jiujitsu.. or super high level wrestlin or blavkbelt judo. They all have an amazing chance as long as they don't get knocked out before They can shoot a take down if anyone remember, Alex got his blackbelt from a knockout? That should say , all it needs about his ground game

[@a_ya5555]

A wrestler will beat him or decent puncher will catch him at some point, pillow hands izzy caught him

[@vitorhugo_nr]

I honestly can see alex submiting Ankalaev. Alex has trained a lot of BJJ and all his training partners are praising him for it. I don't think he can't, he just doesn't want to, but to use it against Ankalaev would be mad fun and would shut a lot of Khabib widows that think that every russian with a chin beard is a wrestling menace.

[@marklower007]

I don't think so. Every1 acts like he fights like khabib but the dude is a striker. Any1 willing to strike with Alex is giving Alex his best chance to win.

[@Gildhattie]

Ankalaev vs Pereira... It might be in line to see that, but it probably wouldn't happen until 2028 😒

[@a_ya5555]

Pereria is going to get destroyed at HW no matter who he fights. Good luck fighting volkov who literally has the same fighting style but is more accurate and now improved.

[@JA-ru3il]

​@@a_ya5555Pereira is going to absolutely maul every light heavyweight and heavyweight.

[@a_ya5555]

@@JA-ru3il Highly doubtful since his camp didn't want to fight ANK and didn't want to rematch blachowicz. He'd get exposed at HW

[@jacksypher3403]

Peirera vs Aspinal would be a God Sent fight

[@TB-wi5dn]

Pereira has some of the worst boxing defense I've EVER seen out of a world champ. Skill for skill, in the boxing game, ankalaev is far and above better than pereira

[@zoro8117]

Finallly someone with a brain. Ankalaev id very crisp eith boxing. People have no idea. Ankalaev eats thosr leg kicks though and therr i see some problems for ank. Other than that i see ankalaev dominating pereira

[@ahmadfebriansyah]

This is gambling fight, 50 - 50

[@bjay6054]

I want Pereira to win but I would Not want ankolve Not to wresle because of Fans. I want the better fighter to win simple as that

[@markomilosevic7774]

What did ank do tho ????

[@MAruGGs]

I agree, Ankalaev gets such a hard time

[@ricktheruler1665]

You guys act like Alex isn’t strong and couldn’t get up from a take down 😂

[@appleboss9742]

What grappler has he faced

[@penelopegcina]

​@@appleboss9742Michalidas and he gave him a knee.

[@Red-mc5ee]

@@penelopegcinawho?

[@penelopegcina]

​@@Red-mc5ee Andreas Michailidis at middleweight, I think.

[@Red-mc5ee]

@ who?

[@amineblack-tw9xg]

Racik is a hell of a fighter 😂

[@balaanar]

Stop trying to build false narratives. Even tho ankalaev is a good wrestler indeed the las time he shoot for a takedown was like in 2018. He didnt fight standing because he needed to impress. He did it because he favours this fighting style. Also Rakic didnt do well at all he was backing up the whole damn fight he looked like didnt want to be there and didnt engage at all making the fight really boring for all of us.

[@a_ya5555]

He literally took Blachowicz down around 2023.

[@notktm]

Khamzat vs pereira double champ in two fights

[@sherifnabil50]

Ankalaev is sambo champion. Hes saying he's a kickboxer so alex would stop running away

[@gucciserg8093]

Absolutely not! NOT IN ANY WORLD OR DREAM! Chama!🗿

[@philhellmuff]

who is this Raychick?

[@vishkiller23]

Alex vs jones

[@ARMY-ep6fz]

It wasn't a impressive showing at all. But there's really nobody else. So he's next.

[@ChiefX07]

It was impressive. Stop buying Dana's fake narratives.

[@LoveMestore-wh5px]

What ankalaev doing is stupid he should be talking about his wrestling over and over again not his striking i think that would make the fans more excited to watch that fight against alex

[@Herbert_Rudolf]

Chael is the biggest Ankalaev hater on YT. First he picks Rakic to beat him then he says Ankalaev wont fight Pereira. Ankalaev will fight Pereira and will easily beat him

[@josecotto1244]

January Poatan v.Tom????? He has to cook and mature that new muscle💪🏼…..you can’t just wear a gorilla 🦍 suit, you have to own it 🎩 …..2026

[@LynxyFPS]

You literally contradicted yourself in this vid lmfao you said Ankalaev isn't a wrestler (which is true) but then seconds later you say he was trying to be "more pleasing" in the Rakic fight to demonstrate his striking. Well if Ankalaev is ALREADY a striker and isn't a wrestler which we already know how is it that him striking with Rakic was him forcing himself to be more pleasing for the fans lmfao

[@StanSchubert]

Here's my prediction by mid 2025: 135, 155, 170, 185, 205 belts will all be held by guys with their names ending with a V. This is showing the dominance on fight styles!

[@dulezninjaman4788]

Bro do you want some ppl to quit mma? 💀💀💀

[@marklower007]

Alex sleeps uncle liev

[@boost331]

Please he went to a 3 round decision with Racic. Dude doesnt stand a snowballs chance in hell against Alex. I wouldnt even watch that fight.

[@Apathy.Apathy.]

CHAMA 🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷

[@xanaxkamikaze]

Talking about your uncle again

[@MrDetinator]

Yes hopefully he puts a wrestling clinic on at taps him out he’s been doing stand up to trick Alex hopefully if he stands with Alex he’s going to sleep

[@mikemosley2948]

Ankalea has 31% takedown accuracy and not 1 sub to his name but he’s been subbed by Paul Craig. His striking is abysmal compared to Poatan and he’s not even a wrestler not to mention if Jan beat his legs like that, Poatan will have him crippled by the 2nd round just like he did to Jiri. Ank will literally have to turn into Khabib, shoot from the walk out tunnel and pray to allah for 5 rounds. Dude has beat no one elite at all and his best wins are all 5 round decision snoozefests💯

[@MrDetinator]

@@mikemosley2948 that’s literally how I said he’ll have to win is by doing a khabib and Alex ground game is no near Paul Craig can Alex submit him styles makes fights and if ank is able to just wrestle I believe he has a great shot but that is a big if and why is Islam saying ank would destroy Alex with his wrestling clearly he knows something

[@diver7799]

He'll no.

[@luizalves9856]

There's no way ank will beat Poatan

[@ChiefX07]

He can beat poatan easily. You're all drinking that kool-aid. They protect him from wrestlers.

[@FNA27601]

​@Sarahhhhh3 and that decision was very controversial.

[@mikemosley2948]

@@FNA27601 was only controversial but Jan Fanboys….2 Judges and 22 of 26 media member’s said Poatan won and in the 2nd Jan was outstruck by 22 significant strikes, and 14 significant strikes in the 3rd. Poatan had Jan’s legs trashed, and if that fight was 5 rounds Jan would have been KO’d stiff. End of the 2nd when Poatan was piecing him up you can literally see He Jan falling and happens to fall into a shizzy takedown attempt right as the bell rings…..20 more seconds he was toast. This was 3 months after Poatan got KO’d cold for the 1st time in 45 fights, he hasn’t adjusted to the new weight class and had an injured knee. Jan couldn’t even pick his own Azz up off the mat and his whole team had to carry him to the corner…. Hard to win anything looking like that. His takedowns in the 2nd and 3rd counted for nothing and they even said so in the broadcast cuz he did no damage. He won the 1st, Poatan won 2-3, Nothing controversial about it💯

[@ChiefX07]

@Sarahhhhh3 lies.. Jan mat have tried one take down. He wanted to prove he can strike against him. Yan is not even a wrestler anyway. It's ok to be honest and admit UFC been keeping wrestlers away from him.. from his 1st fight til now.

[@a_ya5555]

ANK will submit him easily

[@andytof47]

Easy win for Ankalaev... Let's go!!!!

[@Tomas-wm3pk]

😂😂😂

[@arthurborges836]

Hahahahhahahahahahqhhaha wtf

[@jeansilva6023]

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@belalbelal4614]

Ankalaev may have a chance against Pereira but I doubt it especially in a striking battle. If the GOAT Jon Jones retires then for sure Tom vs Alex will be next for the belt.

[@sethgunn8256]

I actually think ankalaev is boring to watch and very overrated. He’s well rounded and sound in fundamentals, but that doesn’t equal beating the best

[@a_ya5555]

Thank god your ideas aren't how things are scored

[@notktm]

I’ve never heard a single person called ankalaev overrated i’ll try to consider that lmao

[@Workharderthanyesterday]

love you chael . im 16 year old named Fares trying to become a good mma fighter take inspiration from fighters like you !

[@RyanHoodStompsKittens]

Quit now. If you didn't start when you were 5 like Ilia Topuria, you'll never make it anywhere.

[@marinmarinhola]

​​@@RyanHoodStompsKittensTopuria is an outlier, and so is the other end of the spectrum like Pereira who started at 22. The average mma fighter starts in highschool, he's at the perfect age

[@RyanHoodStompsKittens]

@@marinmarinhola Topuria is the future, stupid. Good at everything.

[@Razear]

Ankalaev would have a more compelling case if he managed to secure a great finish rather than coast his way to a decision.

[@satyasanatan5100]

NEVER. NOT POSSIBLE.

[@ahmedzz1037]

Ankalaev is easily going to KO Alex…..

[@ZacJackson-y2q]

He "can" but will he, ? No. PEREIRA just too good, However I'd rather see jones vs poatan if jones beats stipe & doesn't retire.

[@a_ya5555]

Pereria got knocked out by izzy........He can get ko'd by anyone, he has zero wrestling skills

[@RilezGamer]

​@@a_ya5555He got KO at 185 not 205.. Bro literally ate a head kick at 205.

[@a_ya5555]

@@RilezGamer So his head grew larger after 185? Weak izzy knocked him out. Too funny. Never happened to DDP when he fought izzy.

[@RilezGamer]

@@a_ya5555 He doesn't have to dehydrate as much at 205 genius, that's why. Pereira was already fighting at the Light Heavyweight division when he left Glory and never got rocked at 205. Izzy is not weak.. and DDP and Izzy are all natural 185.

[@a_ya5555]

@@RilezGamer Dehydration excuse? LOL Ooookkaaay. Then why is pereria dumb enough to go to 185?? DDP has an iron head, have you not seen him get hit? Also I don't remember izzy knocking out Blachowicz. Good thing a corrupt judge gave that win to pereria when he fought jan. When ank beats pereria he'll give blachowicz a title shot at least since pereria will be running scared to fight jan once jan has working shoulders again. Let us not forget Alex gets starched by Izzy. Taken down by Izzy. Taken down by Jan. Dropped by Khalil. And these guys talk about there’s no chance Ank wins against Alex 😂

[@Suppp34]

No chance. That was the most boring fight on the whole card 🥱