Chael Sonnen has publicly criticized the decision to exclude Magomed Ankalaev from the vacant light heavyweight title fight. Sonnen pointed out that Ankalaev holds a 1-1 record against Alex Pereira and is the only fighter in the division who has actually defeated Pereira. Despite these credentials, Ankalaev was not even considered for the title bout. Sonnen argued that the current title fight lacks a compelling narrative because it features neither the most exciting fighter (Roundtree), the most intriguing (Jamal), nor the most accomplished (Ankalaev). He expressed frustration that both participants in the title fight are the wrong choices.
