Poatan focused before fighting in the UFC. Photo: Reproduction/X/UFC
Alex Poatan revealed that he would not repeat the aggressive stance he adopted against Magomed Ankalaev in a potential superfight against Jon Jones in the UFC heavyweight division. The Brazilian explained that the American's style would require more caution, especially regarding distance control and pace.
In an interview with Connect Cast, Poatan stated that he would face Jones with a more strategic approach.
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“Against Ankalaev, I knew I would be more aggressive and move forward. But that changes (against Jon Jones ). I'm not going to move forward all the time, otherwise I might get hurt. I'm not going to strategize like that. Aggressiveness counts for a lot. Against Ankalaev, when I was kicking in the first fight, he had in mind that I wasn't all that great,” said the fighter.
Poatan is coming off an impressive victory over Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 320, where he regained the light heavyweight title (up to 93 kg). The knockout in the first round earned the Brazilian a performance bonus of US$ 50 (approximately R$ 266) and placed him back among the top names in the pound-for-pound rankings.
Even though he left the octagon with a boot on his foot due to a minor injury, the champion made it clear that he's aiming for bigger challenges. Alex has already expressed interest in moving up to heavyweight (up to 120,2 kg) to face Jon Jones , a living legend of the UFC. However, the São Paulo native will have to wait for the result of Tom Aspinall vs. Ciryl Gane , who will fight for the undisputed heavyweight title at UFC 321, before deciding on his next steps.
After the victory, Poatan also fulfilled a curious promise: he took the belt to a tire shop in São Bernardo do Campo, where he celebrated his triumph and mocked Ankalaev. The episode went viral on social media.
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Read More about: Alex Poatán, Jon Jones, UFC
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