During UFC 313, Dillon Danis wasn’t surprised to see Alex Pereira’s takedown defense hold up against Magomed Ankalaev, even though it wasn’t enough to secure Pereira a fourth defense of his light heavyweight title.
Danis, a former high-level BJJ prospect and Bellator fighter, trained with Pereira ahead of the showdown with Ankalaev. Despite Pereira stuffing all 12 takedown attempts from Ankalaev, Danis was surprised by Pereira’s loss due to a lack of offensive output.
“I knew he wouldn’t get taken down,” Danis said. “The one thing that surprised me was his lack of aggression. He seemed gun-shy to me. I think now that he’s confident in his wrestling defense, he will be more aggressive in the future.”
After the fight, Pereira promised to make adjustments for a rematch with Ankalaev, which UFC CEO Dana White hinted at as a possibility.
Meanwhile, Danis is preparing for his own combat sports comeback. He is scheduled to box KSI at a Misfits Boxing event before his first MMA fight in six years against Tony Ferguson in the Global Fight League.
Danis initially hesitated to accept the boxing match with KSI due to his focus on the Ferguson fight, but the increasing offer eventually convinced him to take the opportunity.
Despite some challenges, Danis remains optimistic about his upcoming bouts, especially the fight with Ferguson, whom he views as a significant opponent regardless of his recent losing streak.