Ankaraev, who was smashed into the smash, hasn’t been sucked into all the drama ahead of his rematch with Alex Pereira.
After winning the light heavyweight throne from “Poatan” in March, Ankaraev will raise the crown for a glove against Brazilian bruiser in one of the most anticipated sequels of the year.
Tensions have risen between the two 205-pound stars in the weeks leading up to the UFC 320 headliner. However, after exchanging words at the UFC Performance Institute last month, Ankalaev is pleased to leave his “package” behind and focus on the task at hand.
“You know, it’s not like an emotional baggage like something that I bring to this or anything emotional,” Ankarayev said in an interview with the UFC. “It’s – basically, he said what he said. He said I hid from him. I heard it. It really upset me. I didn’t like it. Then he answered me.
“So I’m not emotionally exhausted by this fight. Other than that, there’s nothing I’m thinking about except that I’m focused on the fight. I don’t care about the rest of the noise.”
Ankalaev is an odds-on favorite on Pereira Rematch
Ankalaev means a $250 bet will win $100 if DageStani gets on top.
However, if you believe Ankalaev will bounce back after his inactive performance for the first time, you can win $230 with a $100 bet.
Who do you think will be the one who will wrap gold around his waist to leave behind “Sin City” this weekend?