Magomed Ankalaev is the new king of the UFC light heavyweight division. After years of waiting for another shot at gold, the Dagestani standout finally realized his championship dream, dethroning Alex Pereira with a unanimous decision victory in the main event of UFC 313 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
The judges scored the bout 49-46, 48-47, and 48-47 in favor of Ankalaev, who now joins the ranks of Khabib Nurmagomedov and Islam Makhachev as another Dagestani UFC champion. Overwhelmed by the moment, Ankalaev expressed his emotions after the win.
“I can’t even put it into words,” Ankalaev said through a translator. “It’s been such a long way, and it’s my dream—it’s on my waist.”
The fight started in Pereira’s favor, as the Brazilian champion controlled the opening round with his signature devastating leg kicks. However, Ankalaev weathered the storm and gradually took control. By the second round, he began to pressure Pereira, landing a massive left hand that rocked the former two-division kickboxing champion.
Ankalaev maintained his aggressive approach throughout the fight, forcing Pereira onto the back foot and outworking him with volume striking and intelligent movement. Though Pereira managed to fend off all 12 of Ankalaev’s takedown attempts, his offense dwindled as the fight progressed. He landed some of his best shots in the final round, but by then, it was too late.
The decision was met with a chorus of boos from the Las Vegas crowd, with some fighters and fans believing Pereira had done enough to retain his title. The former champion voiced his frustration post-fight.
“I knew it would be a war. Every fight of mine is a war,” Pereira said. “He put some pressure in the second round, I felt some of his strikes—but putting me up against the cage, he didn’t really do anything.”
The loss marked Pereira’s first defeat in the UFC’s 205-pound division, snapping his five-fight winning streak. Despite the setback, a potential rematch looms large, with Pereira likely eager to reclaim his throne.
For Ankalaev, the victory extends his unbeaten streak to 14 fights, making him one of the most dominant forces in the light heavyweight division. With the belt now in his possession, he transitions from the hunter to the hunted as challengers’ line up for a shot at his title.
In the co-main event, Justin Gaethje bounced back from his recent knockout loss with a gritty unanimous decision win over Rafael Fiziev in their highly anticipated rematch. Gaethje won with scores of 29-28 across the board, proving once again why he remains one of the most dangerous contenders in the lightweight division.
Fiziev, stepping in on short notice after Gaethje’s original opponent, Dan Hooker, withdrew due to injury, started fast. He secured early takedowns and landed punishing body kicks, but Gaethje withstood the initial onslaught and took over in the later rounds.
Gaethje found his rhythm in the second frame, landing a powerful uppercut that sent Fiziev tumbling. He continued his assault in the third, opening up a massive swelling under Fiziev’s left eye with a series of right hands.
“He’s a bad motherf***er, man. Honestly, world-class,” Gaethje said after the fight. “Twelve days’ notice, for him to not get completely exhausted, he deserves so much credit.”
For Gaethje, the win puts him back on track in the lightweight title picture, while Fiziev showed impressive durability despite taking the fight on short notice.
With Ankalaev now at the top of the light heavyweight division, the biggest question is whether Pereira will get an immediate rematch. Given how competitive their fight was, UFC brass may be tempted to run it back.
Meanwhile, Gaethje’s win reestablishes him as a top contender at lightweight. Whether he angles for another title shot or takes on another top-ranked opponent remains to be seen.
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