Ankalaev Receives Hero’s Welcome After UFC 313 Win
Magomed Ankalaev returned to Dagestan to a hero’s welcome after defeating Alex Pereira for the UFC light heavyweight title at UFC 313 on March 8, 2025. The homecoming followed a unanimous decision victory that ended Pereira’s first reign at 205 pounds and made Ankalaev a UFC champion.
Celebration after the title win
Videos shared after the event showed crowds greeting Ankalaev as he returned home. The scenes reflected the significance of the win for the Dagestani fighter, who had spent years climbing the light heavyweight rankings before finally capturing the belt. MMA Fighting reported that Ankalaev was welcomed by fans in Dagestan and was discussing his next move with the promotion.
At UFC 313, Ankalaev used pressure, clinch work and takedowns to disrupt Pereira’s striking and earn the judges’ decision. The victory completed a long title chase and set up an immediate rematch. It did not, however, begin a long championship reign.
Pereira regained the belt in the rematch
The rivals met again at UFC 320 on October 4, 2025. Pereira stopped Ankalaev by first-round TKO at 1:20 to reclaim the light heavyweight championship. The rematch quickly changed the division’s picture and ended Ankalaev’s run as champion. Ankalaev returned with a fifth-round TKO of Bogdan Guskov at UFC Abu Dhabi on July 25, 2026; UFC’s official event report records the finish at 2:41.
Sources: UFC 313 official scorecards; MMA Fighting on Ankalaev’s return to Dagestan; UFC 320 results.
