Instead of leaning into a gimmick or talking wild online or on the microphone, he opts to keep his head down and instead allow his performances to speak for themselves and, so far, the opportunities have continued to come his way.
“I think that I do my talking with my fists,” Ankalaev said. “I do my talking with my fights and those people that talk too much end up having to fight me anyways, so I think I speak mostly with my fights.”
How To Watch UFC 277: Peña vs Nunes 2
His biggest message can get sent on July 30 but, even then, he’s a little shy about making a big claim about what he wants. Ankalaev is going to let the people decide for themselves while he focuses on another epic performance.
It’s admirable considering the path many fighters take – to bust onto the scene as loudly and as spectacularly as possible. For those for whom it works, it works, but Ankalaev is a testament to sticking to the business of fighting, and beating Smith puts him in the position he has wanted all along: title contention.
“Everything is a bit tangled up there and I think my win is going to be the message itself,” Ankalev said. “Right now, I’m not sure what’s going to happen because likely there’s going to be a rematch there on the top, but the fact is, with the win here, I think that’s enough statement to say that I deserve the next title shot. “
