Daniel Cormier is not convinced that Magomed Ankalaev’s rib injury had much to do with his loss to Alex Pereira at UFC 320.
The former light heavyweight champion entered the octagon nursing a serious injury that affected his training camp, but Pereira’s lightning-fast knockout left no doubt in the result. Cormier, who closely follows both fighters, said even a fully healthy Ankalaev might not have survived the intensity Pereira brought that night.
“First off, Magomed Ankalaev did have a rib injury,” Cormier said on his YouTube channel. “This is not a lie, this is not an excuse. I know this because prior to the fight, I saw a video of him getting injections into his rib to try to help him get to the fight. He was able to hit pads and do cardio, essentially, for a month and a half before the fight.”
Cormier explained that Ankalaev’s decision to fight came from his determination to prove himself as champion.
“I know some people that are very close to Magomed Ankalaev that said for him not to fight. He wanted to fight. He wanted to go out there and beat Pereira again because he understood how important it was to have a victory over Alex, and two would have been an even stronger statement as to why he is who he is.”
Even with that drive, Cormier does not think the outcome would have changed.
“With that being said, I don’t know if the result changes if he was healthy, because of the way Pereira fought him,” Cormier continued. “He was not at 100 percent, but I don’t know if he was at 120 percent if he would have beaten Pereira on that night.”
Cormier on Pereira’s Mindset and Power
Cormier believes Pereira’s attitude was the deciding factor. After losing their first fight by decision, Pereira walked into the rematch determined to make a statement, and he did exactly that.
“The way Pereira attacked him… he wanted the fight to be completely different than it was the first time,” Cormier said. “And he absolutely did that.”
In their first matchup, Ankalaev controlled the pace and relied on grappling. But this time, Pereira came forward immediately, blocked a takedown attempt, and landed a brutal series of elbows and punches until the referee stopped the fight just 80 seconds into the opening round.
The quick victory not only reclaimed Pereira’s light heavyweight title but also reminded everyone why he is one of the most feared fighters in MMA.
After the fight, Pereira made it clear that he wants to face Jon Jones in a superfight. The Brazilian champion hopes to move to heavyweight and challenge one of the greatest fighters in history.
“Alex is 38 years old, so he’s probably thinking at this point, ‘How do I go and make another statement that I am the guy?’” Cormier said. “Hell, if he beat Jon Jones, Alex Pereira, who is already considered one of the greatest fighters of all time in the most expedited timeline I have ever seen, would literally cement himself to almost stand above everyone.”
UFC president Dana White has mentioned that Pereira’s desire to move to heavyweight is real, but it depends on how things play out in the coming months. White praised Pereira for chasing big fights but said Jon Jones’ health and return timeline are still uncertain. Jones last fought in early 2024 before retiring after turning down a fight with Tom Aspinall.
Cormier gave Ankalaev credit for stepping up despite being injured, but said Pereira’s performance left no room for debate.
“Injuries happen all the time,” Cormier said. “But that version of Pereira, that was a man on a mission. I don’t think anyone was stopping him that night.” via MMAFighting
With Pereira now back as light heavyweight champion, fans are waiting to see if his next step is defending the belt or chasing Jon Jones for what could be one of the biggest fights in UFC history.
