Magomed Ankalaev is known for his cold, calculated style inside the Octagon. Humor? Not exactly his go-to weapon. But when a strange message surfaced from Alex Pereira’s X account, suggesting he was considering retirement, the Dagestani delivered a surprise punchline that had MMA fans rolling in their chairs.

Let’s rewind. Pereira’s account recently shocked fans with a gloomy message about walking away from the fight game. The suspicious post on X read, “I always answered the UFC’s calls, but if they want to play with me, we can do that. I’ve never spoken poorly of the UFC, but with what I’ve just heard I’m disheartened. I’ve already had thoughts of not fighting anymore, and after what was just relayed to me this may be the start.”

Words like “disheartened” and “not fighting anymore” sparked chaos online. No one saw it coming. And within hours, Pereira himself jumped in to clarify: he’d been hacked. In a video posted on Instagram, the former 205lbs champ explained in Portuguese that he had no idea about the tweet and that someone had taken control of his account, as he shared, “I didn’t even know about it, I was hacked. It’s been a while since I’ve posted anything, you guys see. But I was hacked, and I’ll resolve it.”

The drama could have ended there. But Magomed Ankalaev, Pereira’s most recent opponent and the man who dethroned him at UFC 313, took to social media and fired off with, “It was me I hacked his account Don’t Worry, Alex. I’m waiting for you.”

Was that a joke from the usually stoic Dagestani? The internet wasn’t ready. Fans who usually paint Ankalaev as dry or robotic found themselves amused. A rare twist in the UFC’s usual script of trash talk. Here’s what the netizens had to say!

Magomed Ankalaev leaves the fans surprised with a jab at Alex Pereira’s recent social media ‘hacking’

One fan admitted what many were thinking as they wrote, “I admit, this time he managed to be funny.” Magomed Ankalaev, often seen as stoic and intense, had shown a rare flash of personality. But his post wasn’t just a joke, it was a challenge. After all, the Brazilian has hinted at a rematch with Ankalaev. His first and only loss at light heavyweight came at the hands of the Dagestani striker, and ‘Poatan’ isn’t the type to leave debts unpaid. Just ask Israel Adesanya!

Another fan wrote, “Nahhhh he got me with this one.” Clearly, the joke landed. Ankalaev’s comment was unexpected, dry, and oddly well-timed. It looks like the championship belt has made the Dagestani phenom more comfortable with letting loose, at least on social media. What do you think?

Then came the comparisons as multiple fans wrote,  “Ali Abdelaziz thinks he’s funny” and “Ali has hacked Ank’s account.”These fans weren’t just joking around, they were pointing to the real man behind many of these social media antics. Back in March, Ankalaev admitted during an interview with Nina Marie Daniele that his manager, Ali Abdelaziz, helps write his tweets.

Ankalaev had confessed, “Together with Ali [Abdelaziz]. We do it together with Ali, my manager… On Twitter, we mostly respond, right? It’s not like we’re crossing some lines or we’re like mean to somebody.” So maybe this time, too, it was Abdelaziz who helped the champion sharpen the jab!

One fan cheered, “That’s my boy! Let’s go big Ank!”, possibly a nod to the fact that this version of Ankalaev, the one who can throw a jab both in and out of the cage, might be more marketable than ever. And finally, another fan claimed, “He’s not annoying this time.” It’s a small but meaningful shift. In a sport where fighters live and die by fan perception, even a smirk-worthy tweet can change the narrative.

In conclusion, for a man who built his brand on silence and dominance, this exchange showed a different Ankalaev. One who knows when to strike, but also when to smile. MMA fans aren’t easily impressed, but when they are, they let you know. But will this lead to more hype for the re-match between Pereira and Ankalaev? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!