Alex Pereira's power is the great equalizer of the light heavyweight division. At UFC 313, Magomed Ankalaev did what no one at 205 had managed — he refused to give it a target, and over twenty-five minutes inside T-Mobile Arena he took the belt off the champion's waist.
Round by Round: What Actually Happened
The first round was the one Pereira needed and nearly stole — measured distance, a few hard left kicks, the threat of the left hook keeping Ankalaev honest. But from the second round on, the challenger solved the puzzle: pressure behind the jab, low kicks chopping at the lead leg, and the constant threat of the takedown forcing Pereira to fight off the back foot.
Ankalaev banked the middle rounds, neutralizing Pereira's offense and never letting the fight settle into the kickboxing match the champion wanted. By the championship rounds, Pereira's output had dropped and the title was slipping away. The judges saw it clearly: 49-46, 48-47, 48-47, all for Ankalaev — a new champion, and his unbeaten streak pushed to 14.
What This Means for the Division
Ankalaev ended Pereira's light heavyweight reign and proved that the blueprint to beat “Poatan” is pressure, volume, and the wrestling his earlier challengers never brought. For Pereira, it was the first time his power didn't bail him out — and it set up an immediate rematch.
As of mid-2026, Pereira has avenged the loss — he reclaimed the title with a first-round finish at UFC 320 in October 2025. But UFC 313 belonged to Ankalaev.