With UFC 316 set for this weekend, all eyes are on the bantamweight title rematch between reigning champion Merab Dvalishvili and Sean O’Malley. Still, in the background, fans continue to buzz about another major showdown — the long-anticipated light heavyweight rematch between Alex Pereira and Magomed Ankalaev. Although both fighters have nodded in agreement toward running it back, the bout remains far from being made official.

The two first clashed in the Octagon this past March, when the Russian ended the Brazilian’s reign with a dominant, all-around performance. Utilizing relentless pressure and sharp technique, he kept Alex Pereira on the back foot and walked away with a close, unanimous decision win (49-46, 48-47, 47-48). In doing so, Ankalaev became the third Dagestani to capture the UFC light heavyweight belt, ending ‘Poatan’s short but impactful run. The narrow scores immediately sparked calls for a rematch — but not everyone sees it as necessary.

UFC veteran Chael Sonnen has urged Alex Pereira to tread carefully, despite the narrow outcome of his last fight. He believes the Brazilian should “let it go,” cautioning that chasing a rematch might backfire. Sonnen warned that another loss could be damaging, stating, “But if you rematch and you drop two straight… that’s where some embarrassment does set in,” suggesting that a second defeat could tarnish ‘Poatan’s legacy more than the first.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Sonnen drew comparisons between a potential Pereira–Ankalaev rematch and the O’Malley–Dvalishvili fight headlining UFC 316.

He explained, “You have Ankalaev, who can strike but would greatly rather be on the ground—and is pretty good at putting guys on the ground. You have O’Malley, who can go to the ground, he can wrestle himself—but he’d rather keep it standing on the feet. And when I watched Ankalaev and Pereira, there wasn’t much to see there… They weren’t trading rounds and trading positions…. And when the end of the night came,… we don’t need to see that rematch.”

Still, despite Chael Sonnen’s concerns, both Alex Pereira and Magomed Ankalaev had previously hinted at a possible rematch in August. Yet, now that we’re into June, there’s been no official update on the bout. Recently, Pereira appeared to have a falling out with Dana White & Co. after he hinted at retirement in a cryptic social media post—only to later reverse course and claim that someone had hacked his account. The abrupt shift left fans confused and raised even more questions about what’s really going on behind the scenes.

When’s Alex Pereira fighting next?

From the start, Magomed Ankalaev has had his sights set on competing during UFC’s June International Fight Week. That dream may finally come true this year, with UFC 317 scheduled for June 29 and the UFC reportedly offering him a slot on the card. However, Alex Pereira isn’t looking to make a rushed return. With UFC President Dana White already locking in the main events for the next four pay-per-views, space on the calendar is tight.

The only major slot left is the UFC’s annual Abu Dhabi card, slated for October 2—a date that, while not yet confirmed by Dana White & Co., appears to be the most likely landing spot. Frustrated by the delay, the Dagestani native took to X last week and declared the Brazilian’s time was up. “Alex done. He never coming back,” Ankalaev posted—echoing Tom Aspinall’s recent jab at Jon Jones’ inactivity. But now ‘Poatan’ has finally broken his silence. In a statement through UFC Brasil, he explained his absence and hinted at a return timeline:

“We’ll definitely be talking about my next fight soon, I don’t have a specific date yet, but we already have an idea. I took this time off to rest, because I worked hard in 2024. I think my body got tired, I had some injuries, so I decided to take it easy, more on the recovery side, and now I’m coming back.”

What’s your take on Alex Pereira vs. Magomed Ankalaev 2.0? Is this the rematch fans truly want to see? Share your thoughts below.