Magomed Ankalaev beats Alex Pereira to become UFC light heavyweight champion
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Russia's Magomed Ankalaev reacting after defeating Alex Pereira of Brazil to become the light heavyweight champion during UFC 313.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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LAS VEGAS – Magomed Ankalaev dethroned Alex Pereira to become the Ultimate Fighting Championship light heavyweight champion after securing a unanimous decision victory at UFC 313 on March 8, handing Pereira his first loss in the weight class.
Russia’s Ankalaev (21-1-1), unbeaten since March 2018, outwitted former kickboxing champion Pereira (12-3) on the feet with forward pressure and tight knees to the body, and left the Brazilian exhausted after pinning him to the fence and forcing him to grapple at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
“I can’t even put it into words. It has been such a long wait. Here’s my dream and it’s on my waist,” the 32-year-old said, after finally winning the championship belt, having fought Jan Blachowicz to a split draw in his first UFC title bout in December 2022.
Pereira, who won his last four fights by knockout, repeatedly kicked Ankalaev’s lead leg early on in the fight.
But Ankalaev fought back in the second round, landing a left hand and leaving Pereira on shaky legs just seconds before the bell.
Ankalaev kept up the pressure in the next round, landing knees from close range as Pereira fought off his takedown attempts.
The superior grappling of Ankalaev helped him pin Pereira to the fence and drain his energy in the fourth round.
As Pereira’s coaches urged him to fight back, he marched Ankalaev down in the final round and landed a head kick.
But it was not enough to sway the judges, as the former middleweight champion suffered the third loss of his professional mixed martial arts career.
“The plan was to pressure, pressure, pressure. Everyone who fights him tries to counter him, but I wanted to make sure I fight as the No. 1,” Ankalaev said.
Pereira said he knew he would face a war, but Ankalaev did not do much damage to him.
“I’m going to keep training. I feel good, I don’t think I’m hurt or anything. I’ll take a few days off and get back into it, this is my life,” the 37-year-old said.
UFC president Dana White suggested an immediate rematch between the fighters would “probably” happen.
“Listen, I’m happy for a rematch if he wants a rematch, but then maybe in the rematch he could fight for real and not just run away the entire time,” Ankalaev said.
Pereira’s loss ends a highly publicised streak of three title defences within the last year, a stretch that saw the Brazilian become arguably the biggest star in the sport. A win would have made Pereira the second-fastest fighter to four title defences in UFC history.
No. 3 lightweight Justin Gaethje (26-5) defeated No. 11 Rafeal Fiziev (12-4) by unanimous decision in the co-main event. REUTERS
