A renowned kickboxing icon believes Alex Pereira needs to make a critical adjustment to successfully reclaim the light heavyweight championship from Magomed Ankalaev.

With UFC 320 drawing near, anticipation is running high in Las Vegas as Alex Pereira and Magomed Ankalaev prepare for their highly anticipated rematch. Set for October 4, this fight is a direct follow-up to their initial clash at UFC 313 in March, where Ankalaev captured the 205-pound title via a unanimous decision victory.

During their first encounter, Pereira surprised many by effectively defending Ankalaev`s takedowns. However, he found it challenging to assert dominance in the striking exchanges. Now, a record-breaking kickboxer identifies a specific area in Pereira`s preparations that required crucial attention ahead of this Saturday`s pivotal bout.

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Semmy Schilt: Alex Pereira Must Adapt Training to Counter Magomed Ankalaev`s Style After UFC 313 Surprise

Semmy Schilt, celebrated as one of kickboxing`s all-time greats with an unparalleled five major heavyweight tournament victories, has offered his perspective on the upcoming fight. In an exclusive interview with Bloody Elbow last month, Schilt provided his insights into the UFC 320 main event.

While Pereira’s recent training footage looks promising, its real impact will depend on his ability to generate more effective striking offense on October 4. After reviewing their first fight, Schilt concluded that `Poatan` likely underestimated Magomed Ankalaev`s boxing skills, which were prominently displayed that night.

The Dutch legend highlighted a crucial modification for Pereira: his sparring regimen. Schilt emphasized the necessity for Pereira to specifically train with “right leg forward” kickboxers who possess strong boxing capabilities. He noted that Pereira`s most successful moments in their previous fight occurred when he adopted a left-leg forward stance, contrasting with Ankalaev`s right-leg lead. Schilt elaborated on the tactical challenge:

“Most of the time, he’s fighting left leg forward fighters and they’re not the best kickboxers and now you’re standing against a right leg forward [opponent] and he can box… If you look at the fight, the moments that Alex is doing well is mostly moments where he is left leg forward. So, what I think Alex should have done for the next fight is to train with right legged kickboxers who know how to box, who are good, because this guy is good and when you’re standing right leg forward against left leg forward, the distance is much bigger and you have to turn a different way.”

This specialized training, Schilt believes, could be the decisive factor for the Brazilian champion.

Alex Pereira Predicts UFC 320 Will Conclude His Rivalry with Magomed Ankalaev

In an interview with MMA Junkie, Alex Pereira conveyed his firm belief that UFC 320 will mark the definitive conclusion of his rivalry with Magomed Ankalaev, stating confidently, “I think the story will be over.”

‘Poatan’ expressed conviction that if he successfully avenges his previous loss, the UFC will not attempt to arrange a third bout to settle their rivalry. He further commented, “To be honest, from everything we’ve seen, I think with him losing, I don’t think he’s going to fight for the title any more.”

However, should Pereira fail to recapture the title on Saturday night, significant discussions regarding the future path of the 38-year-old fighter will undoubtedly emerge.