The UFC 320 hype train is in full swing, but not everything is perfect behind the scenes. As Alex Pereira prepares for his rematch with Magomed Ankalaev, heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall stirred the pot, claiming Pereira had “favorable matchups” before running into Ankalaev’s wrestling. This surely sparked a heated debate online. While some fans agreed with Aspinall, others soon defended Pereira, setting the stage for more drama than the fight itself.

In a recent Fight Lab episode on TNT Sports, Aspinall argued that the Brazilian’s run in the promotion was stylistically aided by the absence of a significant takedown threat until Magomed Ankalaev entered the picture. “I think the matchups were quite favorable to Alex Pereira up until Magomed Ankalaev,” he said.

“Just with the threats of the takedown, even in the first fight, we didn’t really see Ankalaev really go for the takedowns too much, but I think just the threat being there, stylistically, he’s a bad matchup for Pereira.” Well, these words definitely did not sit well with the Brazilian striker, who was quite quick to respond.

Alex Pereira denied the notion that he had had an easy route. “I’m a guy who comes from kickboxing; I had no grappling experience. We’re talking about the highest level of the sport. If you were to put the worst guy in the UFC against me, I’d be at a disadvantage. That makes no sense,” Pereira stated, highlighting that every opponent in the UFC is a challenge, regardless of previous record or perceived ease.

Several fans were quick to push back against Aspinall’s claims. Many pointed out the sheer contrast in competition: “Tom’s opponents won 1 world title, while Alex’s opponents won 6. Tom also debuted a year before Alex.” Others were blunt: “What about Tom’s opponents? He beat a bunch of cans,”  and “Idk why Aspinall is talking s—-, dude has fought NOBODY 😂.” Several also criticized the perceived weak state of the heavyweight division in general, writing, “Aspinall saying this as if his division isn’t the worst in the UFC.”

Nonetheless, a few voices agreed with Tom Aspinall, claiming that Pereira had largely avoided real grappling risks. “I am a Pereira fan, but I agree with Tom on this. Alex is a legendary fighter, but he’s an industry plant,” one user commented. Another said, “All strikers—that’s Tom’s point. He never fought fluffys, Brendan Allen, Brunson, or anyone with a legit threat for takedowns,” while a third fan predicted, “Tom was right, Alex is gonna get chinned and fraud checked by Big Ank 💀.”

As the countdown to UFC 320 approaches, the narrative of Alex Pereira against Magomed Ankalaev becomes more than just a title rematch; it’s about proving or disproving every pre-fight claim. But it is worth noting that while Tom Aspinall has claimed that Ankalaev may prove to be Alex Pereira’s kryptonite, the Brazilian also gave a reality check to the Briton by backing Ciryl Gane to win at UFC 321.

Alex Pereira warns Tom Aspinall that ‘different’ Ciryl Gane may prevail at UFC 321

Alex Pereira isn’t just focused on reclaiming the UFC light heavyweight title; he’s also keeping a close eye on the heavyweight division. While Tom Aspinall prepares for his first title defense at UFC 321, Pereira offers a prediction that defies the widely held belief that the Englishman will have a quick night. His perspective suggests that the outcome may not be as straightforward as many fans expect.

‘Poatan,’ speaking ahead of his rematch with Ankalaev, described Ciryl Gane as a tough opponent who may force the fight to the late rounds. “Tom is a complete fighter, but I feel like he’s fought a lot of aggressive guys, and I think Gane is a guy who’s gonna do a lot of moving; he’s gonna be a little more cautious, and that moving around a lot might frustrate Tom,” Pereira explained, suggesting that the heavyweight showdown could be far more tactical than expected.

Pereira’s observation serves as a caution to Tom Aspinall: underestimating Gane could prove costly. The Brazilian striker feels the Frenchman’s elusive approach could change the pace of the fight, resulting in an entirely different scenario than fans have come to expect from Aspinall’s previous first-round knockouts. UFC 321 could end up being more of a chess match than a knockout exhibition, and Pereira isn’t shy about letting the world know what he thinks.