Magomed Ankalaev responds to Anthony Smith, calls him his ‘easiest fight ever’

Magomed Ankalaev had some harsh phrases for Anthony Smith.

Later this month, Ankalaev takes on Aleksandar Rakic at UFC 308 in a bout that many imagine is a title eliminator for the subsequent shot at gentle heavyweight champion Alex Pereira; nonetheless, not everybody agrees.

Earlier this week, Smith, a previous opponent of Ankalaev’s, prompt there are different fighters in line for a crack at Pereira, saying that Ankalaev’s unexciting type has made the UFC much less excited by him.

“I wouldn’t depend on it as a result of there’s an excellent probability that Volkan Oezdemir and Carlos Ulberg can have a dialog, or at the least have some kind of case to make to get that battle,” Smith advised MMA Junkie. “Particularly if Ankalaev does what he tends to do generally, and that’s lay an egg and nonetheless win. He’s already been punished for that. He’s already performed it as soon as earlier than within the Jan Blachowicz battle and Dana was completely livid.

“Pereira simply fought. What would have stopped him from preventing in Abu Dhabi and preventing Ankalaev there?”

“They’re not dashing Ankalaev right into a title battle for a motive,” Smith continued. “I feel if that battle lays an egg and Volkan Oezdemir goes in there and finishes Carlos Ulberg, I feel Volkan Oezdemir has a fantastic case to make for a title shot. So I wouldn’t simply depend on that.”

As you would possibly anticipate, Ankalaev didn’t appear to take too kindly to this.

On Friday, Ankalaev responded to Smith’s latest feedback, ripping his former opponent on social media and calling Smith his “best battle ever.”

“Simply to be clear, Rakic is my hardest battle within the division.”

“Anthony Smith stated I generally sting the present, hey do you keep in mind what I did to you [and] Johnny Walker? You’re an analyst and supposed to remain impartial.”

“Chael Sonnen, you’re proper my buddy, my hardest battle within the division is Rakic, my best battle ever was Anthony Smith. I hit him with a mix from a online game I used to play after I was 12.”

Ankalaev and Smith confronted off again at UFC 277, the place Ankalaev received by second-round TKO. That battle earned Ankalaev a shot on the vacant gentle heavyweight title in opposition to Jan Blachowicz in a battle that led to a cut up draw. Following that, Ankalaev had a no-contest with Johnny Walker as a result of an unlawful eye poke, however then received their rematch this January, stopping Walker within the second spherical and incomes a Efficiency of the Evening bonus. Ankalaev additionally holds wins over Oezdemir and No. 7-ranked Nikita Krylov.

UFC 308 takes place Oct. 26 at Etihad Area in Abu Dhabi.