Ankalaev Stops Pereira’s Light-Heavyweight Reign
Alex Pereira’s dominance in the UFC light heavyweight division has been nothing short of spectacular. The Brazilian fighter has successfully defended his title three times in just 176 days, cementing his status as one of the most formidable champions in the promotion’s history. In 2025, Ankalaev defeated Pereira at UFC 313 to win the title, then lost the belt back to Pereira in their UFC 320 rematch. The UFC 313 recap and UFC 320 scorecards record both results.
Ali Abdelaziz, a prominent figure in the MMA world, has expressed unwavering confidence in his client, Magomed Ankalaev. Ankalaev faced Aleksandar Rakic at UFC 308 on October 26, 2024, and won by unanimous decision. The official UFC scorecards record the result.
Abdelaziz’s bold prediction has sent shockwaves through the MMA community. He asserts that Ankalaev possesses the skills to not only compete with Pereira but to knock him out. This claim is particularly noteworthy given Pereira’s reputation as a devastating striker with knockout power in both hands.
According to Abdelaziz, Ankalaev’s superiority extends across all aspects of the fight game. He believes the Russian fighter outclasses Pereira in wrestling, grappling, and even striking precision. This comprehensive skill set, Abdelaziz argues, makes Ankalaev the perfect foil to Pereira’s striking-heavy approach.
While acknowledging Pereira
The manager’s confidence stems from his assessment of Pereira’s recent performances. He points to the champion’s fight against Khalil Rountree at UFC 307, where Pereira was dropped twice before securing a fourth-round TKO victory. Abdelaziz suggests that these moments of vulnerability indicate a potential decline in Pereira’s chin, which Ankalaev could exploit.
While acknowledging Pereira as a great champion, Abdelaziz maintains that Ankalaev’s fight IQ and ability to avoid damage give him a significant edge. He dismisses the notion that the UFC is protecting Pereira with favorable matchups, insisting that Ankalaev’s skills make him a legitimate threat to the champion’s reign.
Ankalaev defeated Rakic by unanimous decision at UFC 308, then earned a title fight with Pereira. He won their first meeting at UFC 313 before Pereira reclaimed the belt in the UFC 320 rematch.
Ankalaev took Pereira’s title by decision at UFC 313, but Pereira reclaimed it with a first-round TKO in their rematch at UFC 320.
Abdelaziz’s prediction became a title fight at UFC 313, where Ankalaev won by unanimous decision. Pereira then stopped Ankalaev in the first round at UFC 320 to reclaim the title. The UFC 313 recap and UFC 320 scorecards confirm the sequence.
Citations:
[1] https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/lists/ufc-light-heavyweight-champion-history-alex-pereira-jon-jones-daniel-cormier-liddell-couture
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_Pereira
[3] https://www.ufc.com/news/alex-pereira-career-highlights-journey-belt-middleweight-light-heavyweight-ufc
[4] https://sports.yahoo.com/live/ufc-307-live-results-alex-pereira-vs-khalil-rountree-jr-pennington-pena-updates-highlights-analysis-223025971.html
[5] https://www.espn.com/mma/fighter//id/4705658/alex-pereira [6] https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10138467-4-dream-superfights-for-ufc-light-heavyweight-champion-alex-pereira [7] https://www.espn.com/mma/story//id/41635132/alex-pereira-stops-khalil-rountree-jr-retains-title-ufc-307
[8] https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2024/10/ufc-307-ali-abdelaziz-opinion-magomed-ankalaev-superior-everywhere-to-alex-pereira-prediction-knockout-ko
[9] https://www.monsterenergy.com/en-us/mma/alex-pereira-defends-ufc-light-heavyweight-world-championship-title/
[10] https://www.forbes.com/sites/trentreinsmith/2024/10/07/ufc-champion-alex-pereira-says-light-heavyweight-is-where-im-at/
Sources
Tags: Wrestling, Olympic Wrestling
