Magomed Ankalaev Admits Ignoring Advice on Alex Pereira Rematch

Magomed Ankalaev finally broke his silence on the health issues that led to his title fight loss to Alex Pereira last year. The Russian fighter admitted he made a mistake by ignoring advice to delay the rematch.

What happened?

Ankalaev's first post after his loss to Pereira last October focused on dealing with the setback and continuing to push forward. However, it was his manager who first spoke about the injuries Ankalaev had been dealing with heading into the fight. The former light heavyweight champion finally shared his side of the story ahead of his upcoming return.

"I had some specific health issues at the time, and I was advised by many not to even go out, to pull out of the fight, that they were going to be able to move it for a later date," Ankalaev said via a translator. "I decided that I was well enough to go on and I decided not to listen to anybody. I made a mistake, and as we know, sometimes you have to pay for your mistakes so this has been a long time, I would rather not revisit if we can."

Why it matters for Magomed Ankalaev

Ankalaev's decision to ignore advice and push through with the fight has been questioned by many. His health issues, which were not disclosed, likely impacted his performance in the Octagon. The Russian fighter's admission comes ahead of his return to face Bogdan Guskov this weekend.

What comes next?

Ankalaev's return to the Octagon will be closely watched, especially after his recent comments. The fighter's health and well-being will be a major focus, and it remains to be seen how he will perform in his upcoming bout.

In related news, Alex Pereira fought through an injury in his first fight with Ankalaev, suffering a cracked shin. Both fighters remained tight-lipped on the setbacks they suffered instead of speaking openly about this as the reason why they lost.

The UFC Abu Dhabi preview: Start time, full card and how to watch Magomed Ankalaev vs. Bogdan Guskov is available for those interested in following the upcoming bout.

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