UFC light heavyweight champion Magomed Ankalaev might not face Alex Pereira immediately for his first title defense.
Magomed Ankalaev claimed the UFC light heavyweight title by defeating Alex Pereira via unanimous decision at UFC 313 earlier this year. This victory extended Ankalaev`s impressive win streak and ended Pereira`s perfect record in the light heavyweight division.
Following UFC 313, discussions about an immediate rematch between Ankalaev and Pereira were widespread, with both fighters seemingly agreeing to a second bout later this year. However, Pereira`s current break from fighting has led to speculation that he may not receive the immediate rematch he initially sought.
If Pereira remains sidelined, the UFC matchmakers might explore other options for Ankalaev`s inaugural title defense. A former UFC fighter has suggested a notable name who hasn`t been widely discussed recently.
Josh Thomson names unexpected contender for Magomed Ankalaev’s first title defense
The UFC light heavyweight division includes several prominent fighters, including former champions Jamahal Hill and Jiri Prochazka. Prochazka recently secured an impressive finish against Hill at UFC 311, while Hill is scheduled to face Khalil Rountree Jr. next month.
However, another fighter is being considered as a potential challenger for Ankalaev`s championship.
During a recent episode of the Weighing In podcast, former UFC standout Josh Thomson proposed Carlos Ulberg as a potential opponent for Ankalaev`s first title defense.
“What you have is Jamahal Hill coming off a loss, Jan Blachowicz coming off a loss, Aleksandar Rakic coming off a loss, Khalil Rountree Jr. coming off a loss,” Thomson commented. “Dominick Reyes is number eight, he’s got a win. You’ve got Carlos Ulberg, that’s it, at number three. You have Jiri but Jiri can’t fight. I mean, throw, I would say Ulberg, put him in there, see if Ankalaev will stand with him as well.”
“There’s nothing else you can do. I mean, we’re looking for that guy to bring an exciting fight to Ankalaev because right now, good luck trying to sell that,” Thomson added.
Ulberg`s most recent win was against Jan Blachowicz at UFC London earlier this year, extending his eight-fight win streak in the Octagon. Should Ulberg capture a UFC title, he would join a growing list of Dana White’s Contender Series alumni to achieve UFC gold, including Sean O’Malley and Jack Della Maddalena.
Throughout his UFC career, Ulberg has defeated notable fighters like Volkan Oezdemir, Alonzo Menifield, and Da-Un Jung. After losing his UFC debut at UFC 259, Ulberg has been dominant, securing five victories by stoppage.
Alex Pereira`s social media account hack fueled retirement rumors
Pereira`s X account was recently compromised, and a confusing message suggesting frustration with the UFC organization appeared. Pereira later clarified that he did not post the message, which hinted at potential retirement rather than pursuing an immediate rematch with Ankalaev.
Ankalaev also received a challenge from heavyweight contender Jailton Almeida, who indicated he might return to the light heavyweight division to compete for the belt. Almeida achieved his second consecutive first-round stoppage win by finishing Serghei Spivac at UFC 311 earlier this year.
As UFC matchmakers evaluate future matchups for Ankalaev and the light heavyweight contenders, there are numerous possibilities at the top of the division. Carlos Ulberg could potentially receive a title shot sooner than many might anticipate.
Percy Harlow