LAS VEGAS – Alex Pereira doesn’t appreciate Magomed Ankalaev bringing religion into their UFC 313 pre-fight build-up.
Pereira (12-2 MMA, 9-1 UFC) defends his light heavyweight title against Ankalaev (20-1-1 MMA, 11-1-1 UFC) in Saturday’s UFC 313 main event at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas (ESPN+ pay-per-view, ESPNews/Disney+, ESPN+).
Pereira issued Ankalaev a bet in which the loser of their fight donates $200,000 to a charity of the other’s choosing. Ankalaev, a practicing Muslim, said he doesn’t gamble because it’s forbidden in Islam.
“Poatan” explains that he never meant to bring religion into it.
“First of all, I’m not here to talk about religion,” Pereira told MMA Junkie and other reporters through an interpreter at a news conference Wednesday. “Whatever religion, I respect.
“I have a lot of respect for that, but he came and said he couldn’t take the bet, but it wasn’t even a bet about me putting money in my pocket. It was for us to do a good cause and donate for charity.”
Ankalaev also took a shot at Pereira’s past struggle with alcoholism, which the champion saw as an unnecessary low blow.
“Then he goes and talks about alcoholism,” Pereira said. “I’m a champion in life. I overcame alcoholism, but there’s a lot of people who didn’t at the end. Their families struggle with it, not only the person. So he used religion for a certain purpose, but I’m not here to talk about nobody’s religion. I respect them all.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 313.
