Magomed Ankalaev knew that accepting a title fight against Alex Pereira at UFC 313 on March 8th would require some adjustments. The fight date fell during the first week of Ramadan.
Ramadan, a holy month for Muslims worldwide, involves fasting from sunrise to sunset, abstaining from food and drink during daylight hours. While his overall fight preparation wasn’t affected, Ankalaev acknowledged that he had to break his fast to manage his weight cut to 205 pounds for the fight against Pereira.
“The training camp and preparation were completed before Ramadan,” Ankalaev stated at the UFC 313 media day. “The only change was during fight week, which coincided with Ramadan. I had to break a few fasts to drink enough water to make weight. Otherwise, everything remained the same.”
Ankalaev is aware of Pereira’s remarks about food deliveries to his room. However, he clarifies that observing Ramadan fasting rules doesn’t necessarily mean he consumed any food during fasting hours.
Ankalaev finds it curious that Pereira is making these comments, suggesting it might reveal Pereira’s own concerns leading up to their fight.
“He seems quite worried about me and my actions,” Ankalaev commented. “He appears nervous and is paying attention to these details. I reiterate, I had to break my fast a couple of times to manage my weight and be ready. His excessive concern is noticeable.”
“Even if he checks the refrigerator now, he will see UFC-provided food with my name on it. If he wants it, he’s welcome to take it.”
Beyond Ramadan-related comments, Pereira also proposed a $200,000 charity wager on the fight, with the loser donating to the winner’s chosen charity.
Ankalaev pointed out that gambling is against Islamic principles, a fact Pereira seems to overlook despite his apparent awareness of Ramadan practices.
Ankalaev proposed direct charity donation instead of a bet, as Muslims are not permitted to engage in gambling.
“We clearly stated online that as Muslims, we cannot participate in bets,” Ankalaev explained. “It’s not something we endorse or seek to do. However, if he wishes to contribute to charity, we are willing to participate and have the resources to do so.”
Pereira’s focus on Ankalaev’s religious practices might stem from Ankalaev’s earlier concerns about Pereira potentially losing focus before their fight.
Leading up to his title defense, Pereira traveled to Australia to support Sean Strickland in his fight against Dricus du Plessis and engaged in other activities, potentially taking time away from focused gym preparation.
Ankalaev clarified that his previous comments were not meant as personal attacks but rather expressed concern for the light heavyweight champion.
“We weren’t trying to be personal,” Ankalaev said. “We were just suggesting we were concerned about him being spread thin across various UFC events and activities.”
“Perhaps he should have seen it as us being concerned about him spending time elsewhere instead of preparing for the fight. However he interpreted it, it’s his choice. It won’t help or hinder him.”
