Tom Aspinall takes a measured approach to the ongoing Jon Jones saga, while light heavyweight champion Magomed Ankalaev opts for a more confrontational stance. The Russian phenom has become an online agitator, accusing Alex Pereira of “ducking” him since winning the title. Ankalaev claimed the light heavyweight title in March at UFC 313, while ‘Poatan’ faced a tough night.

The Dagestani tactician outstruck the Brazilian in stand-up exchanges, beat him at his own game, and secured a decision victory to claim the belt. As anticipation for a rematch began to build, Magomed Ankalaev and his team made it clear they were ready to run it back. However, Alex Pereira remained absent from competition. During this stretch, the 205lbc champ accused him of turning down multiple offers and occasionally threw jabs at the Brazilian’s mainstream popularity.

In a recent post on social media, Magomed Ankalaev even suggested that Alex Pereira might be stepping away from the sport, writing, “Alex done, never coming back. Let move on—June, July, August—I said yes,” Ankalaev posted on X, claiming ‘Poatan’ declined all fight offers from Dana White & Co. With the UFC’s light heavyweight landscape constantly evolving,  Pereira finally addressed the situation. Speaking backstage to UFC Brasil, the Brazilian avoided trading barbs and instead accused the Russian of name-dropping just to gain relevance,

“He’s also promoting a little if he says my name because no one knows he’s the champion,” Alex Pereira said. “So if he says my name, he appears a little, but I’m not responding to his provocations because I know it’s just to promote. When the time is right, I’ll talk.”

Last month, Alex Pereira and the UFC seemed to hit a rough patch. In a social media post, the Brazilian expressed feeling “disheartened” with Dana White & Co. and revealed he had “thoughts of not fighting anymore.” However, he soon retracted those statements, claiming he was unaware of the post and that his social media account had been “hacked.” Subsequently, Magomed Ankalaev disclosed that the UFC had aimed for a rematch with Pereira at UFC 317, but ‘Poatan’ did not agree to the bout.

After this, Dana White confirmed that the next four pay-per-view events were already scheduled through August and that there would be no UFC PPV in September. With the schedule now shifting, October appears to be the earliest and most probable time for Magomed Ankalaev vs. Alex Pereira 2.0.

Alex Pereira reveals new timeline for rematch against Magomed Ankalaev

With no fight from Alex Pereira on the horizon, Magomed Ankalaev has made it clear he doesn’t want to end up like Michael Chandler. Recently, MMA Junkie spoke with Khabib’s manager, Ali Abdelaziz, who emphasized that the Russian champ is willing to wait for ‘Poatan’, but only up to a point. Addressing Ankalaev’s growing frustration, Abdelaziz said,
“Listen, we got asked to fight International Fight Week, we said yes. We got asked to fight Alex in August, we said yes. We got asked to fight October.”

Abdelaziz also pointed out that Alex Pereira appears to be enjoying his time in the Octagon, simply having “fun,” which seems accurate given the Brazilian’s recent travels around the world. He even appeared alongside Abus Magomedov in Germany at a UFC meet-and-greet event, where former champion Jan Blachowicz attempted to step up, ready to challenge Magomed Ankalaev next. That said, Pereira now has a clearer timeline for his comeback.

Stressing the importance of rest after a grueling year of consecutive fights, Alex Pereira told UFC Brasil, “We haven’t talked about it yet but we know that it’s around October. It could be September, October, November.”

With Pereira’s timeline now out, do you think the Brazilian star will reclaim the title when they face off again this fall? Share your prediction below.