Alex Pereira appears to be on a collision course with his next world title contender as he moves towards a final fight for the year.

The Brazilian has already defended his light-heavyweight title twice this year, knocking out former champions Jiri Prochazka and Jamahal Hill. He is currently taking some time away from the cage to prepare himself for a potential year-end return to the cage.

His opponent will be number two contender Magomed Ankalaev, who has only lost once in the octagon. That fight appears to be in talks for the end of the year, with Pereira insisting that he can’t fight until November at the earliest.

Magomed Ankalaev insists Alex Pereira ‘won’t touch him at all’

Alex Pereira is one of the most fearsome strikers in the UFC, and has knocked out a laundry list of former world champions despite his limited cage experience. In less than three years, he is already a multiple-weight world champion and has stopped the likes of Hill, Prochazka and Israel Adesanya.

But Magomed Ankalaev is confident that he will be able to not only defeat him with superior grappling, but may even have the better of their standup exchanges. “We all understand, many experts understand that I can easily beat Pereira,” Ankalaev told Aslanbek Badaev in a recent chat.

View Tweet

“Not even close. I think with his speed he won’t touch me at all. The most he can do is hit me with a low kick. I think he won’t touch me with his hands. I’m so confident in myself that I can even beat him standing up.

” I can guarantee this, I can fight him standing up until the end, if necessary. But I want to beat him up, I just want to attack him, just show him that I’m better than him.”

Alex Pereira names prospective dates for UFC return as fight talks begin

Ankalaev has already confirmed that talks are underway for a fight between he and Pereira, telling TMZ Sports that the ball is now in his rival’s court. “I believe that’s the next one,” Ankalaev said through a translator.

“It’s been a long time in the making, we are waiting for our contracts to be signed and I think there is no way he escapes this one, I think we are going to face each other.As of now it’s in deep negotiations, it’s really up to Pereira to confirm it.

“But I think logically with all of the teams looking into it I think that’s the logical next. He’s been impressive but I think it’s going to be a relatively easy fight for me.”

And while Pereira is keen for a date towards the end of the year, he is currently taking a break and insists that he won’t be able to make any time before November. That would leave two pay-per-view events; UFC 309 and UFC 310.

UFC 309 is expected to take place at Madison Square Garden on November 9, with Jon Jones headlining as he defends his heavyweight title against Stipe Miocic. Meanwhile, 310 is expected for early December, with whispers that Conor McGregor may finally return to action against Michael Chandler in Las Vegas.

“When I return, it won’t be now,” Pereira said in a video on his YouTube channel. “I want to rest a little, evolve my training. But I think December would be a good date for me. November or December. But before November I don’t want to return. I want to rest and evolve.

Alex Pereira insists he is ‘evolving’ as he hits back at Magomed Ankalaev trash talk

After hearing some of Ankalaev’s trash talk ahead of a prospective bout between the pair, Pereira has insisted that his game is evolving as he heads into his next title defence. The kickboxing ace has been vicious on the feet during his rapid ascent through the ranks.

View Tweet

There’s a belief with fans that he may be limited on the feet, but that remains to be seen and will likely be tested at most by the Russian. Speaking on his YouTube page, Pereira added: “You guys saw, a lot of people trying to self-promote. Trying to belittle me, saying they will knock me out, finish me.

“But I’m training, evolving… I just started evolving now, that’s the difference. [I was] able to go toe to toe with just kickboxing. Now I’m evolving, so each fight it’s getting harder for them.”