Rizvan Kuniev thinks AI does the UFC rankings and says he wants to fight Alex Pereira
Kuniev, who fights Alexander Volkov at UFC 333 on Saturday, puts Pereira ahead of Sergei Pavlovich because he would not want to fight a countryman.
Rizvan Kuniev questioned the UFC heavyweight rankings and named Alex Pereira as the opponent he wants next. "As far as I'm concerned, I think it's AI that does those rankings because it doesn't really make much sense," Kuniev said at UFC 333 media day on Wednesday.
Kuniev said "nobody really even understood what Alex Pereira stands for in heavyweight", and called it "very strange" for Pereira "to go on number three in heavyweight after one loss".
Asked who he would prefer to face after the champion, Kuniev said: "I think Pereira or Pavlovich, but honestly Pereira first because I wouldn't want to fight somebody who is a countryman." He added that "a win over him would really do a lot in media for myself."
Kuniev first faces Alexander Volkov at heavyweight on Saturday. Start times for the whole card are in our UFC 333 UK start time guide.
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Reported by the Combat Sports UK desk. Times are UK and Irish time, and we update the report when the facts change. How we work.