Over a week on from Magomed Ankalaev’s victory over Alex Pereira, the newly crowned UFC light heavyweight champion’s coach has leveled an allegation against his man’s foe.
Ankalaev got the better of Pereira in the main event of UFC 313 on March 8, ending the Brazilian’s reign on the 205-pound throne in the process.
While “Poatan” had successfully pushed through three challenges, he fell at the hurdle that had long been tipped to be his tallest in the division given Ankalaev’s well-rounded arsenal and wrestling prowess.
In the end, the Dagestani was actually unable to drag Pereira to the mat, with the kickboxing specialist showing a staunch takedown defense inside T-Mobile Arena.
During a recent interview with Ushatayka, however, coach Sukhrab Magomedov suggested that the now-former light heavyweight kingpin’s ability to withstand Ankalaev’s grappling was not down to increasing skill, but a forbidden “substance.”
“To be honest, the plan from the beginning was to engage in wrestling; get close, in the clinch, wear him down,” Magomedov said. “But, when Magomed pushed him to the fence near our corner, it seemed to me that Pereira had some kind of substance on him. If my experience isn’t wrong, that’s what I’d say was the case.
“The sweat didn’t flow off his body, it gelled up. That’s what it looks like on his body, too. Magomed said afterward that he smelled like he had some ointment on and was sticky,” Magomed continued. “Let’s not forget that Glover Teixeira is a veteran of the game and knows all the tricks.”
Alex Pereira and his coaching team are yet to responded to the accusation.
Should the pair’s expected rematch be cemented into the calendar for later this year, the topic of ‘greasing’ will likely rear its head again closer to the occasion.
