Alex Pereira and Magomed Ankalaev, UFC 313 ceremonial weigh-in Credit score: Gabriel Gonzalez/Cageside Press
Now one of many largest stars in blended martial arts, Alex Pereira returned to motion for his first combat of 2025 as he took on Magomed Ankalaev in Saturday’s UFC 313 essential occasion.
After three profitable title defenses in 2024, mild heavyweight champ Pereira was seeking to construct on a marketing campaign that earned him Fighter of the 12 months honors. As for Ankalaev, it was a second probability at gold and a possibility to erase the reminiscence of his draw in opposition to Jan Blachowicz in 2022, the place neither man got here away with the championship.
Pereira was his typical stoic self, stone-faced forward of the combat, whereas Ankalaev paced aspect to aspect in his nook. As soon as the bout was underway, it was Pereira strolling down the challenger, firing a kick. Ankalaev labored his approach off the fence, however he was consuming leg kicks early. 4 or 5 within the opening minute alongside landed for the champ. Ankalaev fired a low kick of his personal again, however by way of the primary two minutes, had landed little of consequence, and hadn’t tried a takedown.
Issues opened up because the spherical progressed, with each males loading up a little bit however lacking on their largest strikes. Ankalaev’s lead leg, nonetheless, was wanting beat- welts had fashioned, although he fired an inside leg kick of his personal on the champ. Ankalaev completed the spherical touchdown a entrance kick down the center, then shifting in for a takedown – his first try, and one which the champ efficiently defended.
Magomed Ankalaev pressed the motion early in spherical two, however on the similar time was dealing with a compromised lead leg, switching stances briefly. A entrance kick to the physique, much like one within the opening body, landed for Ankalaev; Pereira ripped a kick upstairs. Ankalaev began going tit-for-tat along with his leg kicks, and bought again on pressuring the champ. One other head kick by the champ was blocked, and Ankalaev responded with a few very strong left palms. Ankalaev was beginning to open up, exhibiting he may cling with the kickboxer on the toes, regardless of one thing of a gradual begin. A trio of calf kicks from Pereira compounded the harm on an already compromised leg, however Ankalaev once more discovered some success upstairs- and on the finish of the spherical, rocked Pereira! Pereira walked again to his nook after consuming that left hand, however no query, he had been wobbled.
Spherical three was the third straight body to see Ankalaev land his entrance kick to the physique. Pereira, in the meanwhile no less than, appeared to have recovered from the assault on the finish of spherical two. Nonetheless, Ankalaev was having ample success along with his kicks, and stress, strolling down the champ. When Ankalaev modified ranges and rushed in on a takedown, Pereira simply side-stepped the try.
Issues popped off a bit with 90 seconds left within the third, with a short change of fireplace, Pereira arguably getting the higher of it.
The ultimate spherical opened with Ankalaev arguably in management, although the shut nature of the primary and third made that something however sure. The pair traded single blows, Pereira a left, Ankalaev a solution to the physique. The primary half of the spherical performed out solely at vary within the stand-up division, an outright puzzling strategy from the challenger after having a lot success grappling in spherical 4. A Pereira jab landed flush on Ankalaev, whose head snapped again; that led to a takedown try from the challenger. He briefly had a bodylock from the again, however Pereira fought the palms, and confirmed as soon as once more that whilst you would possibly management him, taking Alex Pereira down seemed to be one other matter.
Each males raised their arms when the ultimate horn blared. Neither man had a transparent minimize victory, nonetheless. In the long run, it was Ankalaev successful on the scorecards in a combat that wasn’t way more memorable than his first title try, albeit with a greater outcome. He’s your new UFC mild heavyweight champion. “Poatan,” in the meantime, might have to attend a little bit longer for a few of the large cash fights on the market.
Official End result: Magomed Ankalaev def. Alex Pereira by unanimous resolution (49-46, 48-47, 48-47)
