Preparing to fight Alex Pereira is already an arduous task, but training for ‘Poatan’ while also observing Ramadan ups the challenge to a whole new level.
UFC 313 is right around the corner, with the upcoming PPV card headlined by light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira against surging number one contender, Magomed Ankalaev.
Whilst Ankalaev is certain that he’ll claim the 205lb title this weekend, that’s not to say that he’s happy with fighting while also simultaneously observing the religious holiday of Ramadan.
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Magomed Ankalaev ‘pleaded with the UFC’ to move Alex Pereira title fight
Speaking with Sky Sports New Zealand earlier this week, Magomed Ankalaev admitted that prior to signing on the dotted line to fight Alex Pereira, he’d asked the UFC if there was a more appropriate date available on the calendar.
“It was a really difficult decision, and we kind of pleaded with the UFC a little bit that maybe there’s a possibility to hold it and then move it to a different date and keep me as the No. 1 contender.”
However, the promotion reportedly kept pushing for Ankalaev to face ‘Poatan’ on March 8, and the 20-1-1 light heavyweight contender wasn’t about to let this title opportunity slip away from him.
“As a team had to make sure to understand that this is the type of opportunity that we’ve been after for so long, and for now to let it go would have been not a good choice.
“So we decided that even though it is the holy month for us, we have to jump on this opportunity and do the best with what we have.”
That being said, Ankalaev still calls the situation ‘problematic’ for one key reason.
Magomed Ankalaev explains why it’s a ‘problem’ to fight during Ramadan
Whilst Ankalaev is not strictly following Ramadan, as he needs to occasionally break his fasting in order to successfully make weight for Friday afternoon, he still calls the timing of his world title scrap a ‘problem’.
“It’s not a problem that the fight is happening. The problem is that it’s during Ramadan; in this month, we’re not to fight, we are to worship, we’re not there to do any of these activities that we usually do for a regular camp.
“So, the biggest issue is that we have to kind of adjust our schedule. This is something that we do as athletes. This is the kind of opportunity you can’t pass up. The UFC decided that this is when the fight had to happen, and we had to go ahead and jump on this.”
The incoming title challenger concluded that despite the fact it’s “not ideal that it’s during the holy month,” he reaffirmed that his team is “doing everything we can and hoping that we’ll make it for it after the fight.”
UFC 313: Pereira vs Ankalaev goes down live from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, March 8.