UFC 313: Ankalaev Wins Title, Gaethje Beats Fiziev
The March 8, 2025 card produced a new light-heavyweight champion: Magomed Ankalaev defeated Alex Pereira by unanimous decision. Dan Hooker withdrew from the co-main event with an injury, and Rafael Fiziev replaced him against Justin Gaethje. Official scorecards list both results.
Ankalaev dethroned Pereira
Ankalaev won the five-round main event by unanimous decision, with scores of 49-46, 48-47 and 48-47. The victory gave him the light-heavyweight championship and ended Pereira’s unbeaten run at 205 pounds. official event recap summarizes the title change.
Fiziev replaced Hooker against Gaethje
Hooker pulled out after suffering a hand injury. Fiziev accepted the short-notice rematch, and Gaethje defeated him by unanimous decision, 29-28 on all three scorecards. The promotion announced Fiziev as Hooker’s replacement before the event.
More lightweight results from Las Vegas
The March event took place at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Beyond the revised co-main event, the lightweight division supplied two first-round finishes. Ignacio Bahamondes submitted Jalin Turner with a triangle choke at 2:29, while Mauricio Ruffy knocked out King Green with a spinning wheel kick at 2:07. Both outcomes are recorded in the official event reports.
Those quick finishes contrasted with the full-distance contests at the top of the card. Gaethje and Fiziev completed three rounds, while Ankalaev and Pereira went five. The results therefore combined decisive early endings with scorecard verdicts in the two highest-profile matchups.
The original announcement video belongs to the buildup before the Hooker withdrawal. Reading it alongside the final lineup prevents the initial Gaethje–Hooker booking from being mistaken for a completed bout. UFC 313 ultimately paired Gaethje with Fiziev and ended with Ankalaev taking the light-heavyweight championship from Pereira.
