In what many fans and analysts are calling one of the most unexpected rematches in recent UFC history, Alex Pereira and Magomed Ankalaev are set to square off once again in the main event of UFC 320. However, MMA icon and ESPN analyst Chael Sonnen has expressed serious doubts about the logic behind this sequel — questioning not only the demand but the very premise of this fight.
"Nobody Asked for This Rematch"
Sonnen did not hold back his thoughts in a recent interview with MMA Junkie, where he questioned the UFC’s decision-making process.
“Nobody asked for this rematch,” Sonnen said bluntly. “You didn’t ask for it. I didn’t ask for it. You couldn’t go to Twitter, you couldn’t go to Google, you couldn’t even get Grok to show you a person that asked for this rematch.”
Despite Sonnen’s skepticism, UFC President Dana White pushed for the bout, framing it as "the best vs. the best." While Magomed Ankalaev already secured a unanimous decision win over Alex Pereira at UFC 313 to claim the light heavyweight crown, the immediate rematch was booked due to Pereira’s dissatisfaction with his previous performance and a lack of clear contenders in the division.
Sonnen Wanted Alex Pereira to Move to Heavyweight
Chael Sonnen’s bigger concern lies not with Ankalaev, but with how this rematch affects Pereira’s career trajectory. The Brazilian striker, who had previously defeated Jamahal Hill, Jiri Prochazka, and Khalil Rountree Jr. in dominant fashion, is now risking back-to-back losses in a division where he's arguably run out of compelling matchups.
“I still wish that he would become a heavyweight,” Sonnen added. “There’s not another fight at 205 that I want to see for him. He definitely wants to be a heavyweight... But why do we have to get him beat twice?”
Sonnen even speculated that a matchup between Alex Pereira and Tom Aspinall could have been more refreshing for fans, given the growing demand for new storylines in both divisions.
A Trilogy That No One Wants?
Sonnen’s harshest criticism came when discussing the long-term implications of this rematch.
“If Pereira wins, the right thing to do would be to go to a trilogy... Now you’re telling me you’ve not only got to see him fight Ankalaev again, which we didn’t want the first time... Now you’re telling me we might have to see it for 10 more rounds? I think it creates more problems than it solves.”
Even if Alex Pereira regains the title, Sonnen worries that the division’s narrative will become even more entangled, leading to unnecessary trilogy talk that the UFC fanbase never signed up for.
As the fight approaches on October 4 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, the spotlight isn’t just on Pereira and Magomed Ankalaev — it’s also on the UFC’s matchmaking decisions and how they’ll shape the sport’s future.