Pereira and Ankalaev’s Title Rivalry
In December 2024, Alex Pereira posted that his next opponent “won’t be Ankalaev,” prompting Magomed Ankalaev to call him a “chicken” on social media, according to contemporary reporting. At the time, the post appeared to rule out the leading light heavyweight contender for Pereira’s next title defense.
The matchup did happen. Ankalaev defeated Pereira by unanimous decision on March 8, 2025, taking the light heavyweight title. Pereira then won their October 4, 2025 rematch by first-round TKO at 1:20, reclaiming the belt. Official scorecards for both bouts record those results.
The title picture behind the exchange
Pereira ended 2024 with three successful light-heavyweight title defenses. He defeated Jamahal Hill at UFC 300, Jiří Procházka at UFC 303 and Khalil Rountree Jr. at UFC 307. The official UFC 307 report records the completion of that busy championship year.
That run made the identity of his next challenger a significant question. The December social-media exchange captured one moment in the buildup, but it did not settle the matchmaking. By March, Pereira and Ankalaev were across the Octagon from one another at UFC 313 in Las Vegas.
Ankalaev won their first meeting on scores of 49–46, 48–47 and 48–47. The unanimous decision ended Pereira’s initial light-heavyweight reign. The October rematch then reversed their positions, with Pereira’s first-round finish returning the belt to him.
Read together, the two results place the original remarks in context: a public dispute over a possible opponent eventually became a two-fight championship rivalry. The archived video covers the initial discussion, while the subsequent bouts explain how the title changed hands.
Sources
- MMA Fighting: Pereira’s December 2024 post
- Official 313 scorecards
- Official UFC 320 scorecards
