Magomed Ankalaev has secured the light heavyweight title after a tightly contested match against former champion Alex Pereira at UFC 313. Pereira, who previously claimed the championship thrice via knockout, faced a challenging five-round bout in Las Vegas, ultimately finding himself on the losing end of the judges’ decision.
The fight concluded with unanimous scorecards of 48-47, 48-47, and 49-46 in favour of Ankalaev, marking an impressive extension of his professional fight record to 21 wins, one loss, and one draw. This victory keeps Ankalaev’s unbeaten streak alive at 14 fights. Following the match, he expressed his elation, stating, “I can’t even put it into words… here’s my dream: it’s on my waist.” He acknowledged that while he felt the fight could have gone better, he adhered to the strategy of maintaining pressure against Pereira.
Despite his defeat, Pereira accepted the judges’ decision but was sceptical about Ankalaev’s approach to achieving victory. He stated, “He put on some pressure… but… he didn’t really do anything.” Pereira characterises all his bouts as wars, and felt that Ankalaev’s strategy somewhat undermined the spirit of competition, suggesting it incentivised a lack of engagement. This critical stance reflects a wider debate within the UFC community, where opinions on the fight varied, highlighting the ongoing discussions about fight tactics and scoring.
As chatter circulates regarding a potential rematch, UFC President Dana White hinted that it is likely — “Probably.” For now, Pereira is focusing on recovery and plans to return to training shortly. He remains committed to the sport, stating, “I’m gonna take a few days off then get back to training.”
The showdown at UFC 313 has certainly set the stage for future encounters, both for Ankalaev’s title reign and Pereira’s quest for redemption.