UFC 313 LIVE: Alex Pereira drops title to Magomed Ankalaev after five rounds – results and reaction
Follow the fallout after Alex Pereira lost his light-heavyweight title via decision
Magomed Ankalaev took the UFC light-heavyweight title from Alex Pereira on Saturday, ending the fan favourite’s reign with a unanimous-decision win.
Ankalaev won 49-46, 48-47, 48-47 on the judges’ scorecards, as the Russian controlled Pereira in the grappling exchanges and even outstruck the kickboxing icon at UFC 313.
Ankalaev, 32, actually failed with all 12 of his takedowns, which will shock those familiar with the general wrestling abilities of Dagestani fighters. However, he held Pereira against the fence for spells of the main-event bout, while proving sharper than the Brazilian in the striking exchanges.
Pereira, an enigmatic knockout artist, just could not get going at the T-Mobile Arena, with Indy Sport scoring the fight comfortably in Ankalaev’s favour. Ankalev’s victory marked the end of an impressive reign for Pereira, 37, who won the belt in late 2023 and recorded three successful title defences in 2024 – all by TKO.
Re-live the UFC 313 main card and prelims live, below.
UFC 313 results in full
Main card
Justin Gaethje def. Rafael Fiziev via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Ignacio Bahamondes def. Jalin Turner via first-round submission (triangle choke, 2:29)
Amanda Lemos def. Iasmin Lucindo via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Mauricio Ruffy def. King Green via first-round KO (wheel kick, 2:07)
Prelims
Joshua Van def. Rei Tsuruya via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Brunno Ferreira def. Armen Petrosyan via second-round submission (armbar, 4:27)
Carlos Leal def. Alex Morono via first-round TKO (punches, 4:16)
Mairon Santos def. Francis Marshall via split decision (27-30, 29-28, 29-28)
Ozzy Diaz def. Djorden Santos via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
UFC 313 LIVE: Alex Pereira loses title to Magomed Ankalaev
UFC 313 LIVE: Alex Pereira loses title to Magomed Ankalaev
Ankalaev as he was waiting for the scorecards...
UFC 313 LIVE: Alex Pereira loses title to Magomed Ankalaev
Ankalaev actually went 0-10 on takedowns, at least! I’ve also seen 0-12 and 0-15 reported. But his striking was superior to Pereira’s tonight – not often we can say that.
UFC 313 LIVE: Alex Pereira loses title to Magomed Ankalaev
Pereira: “I knew it would be a war, every fight of mine is a war.
“He put on some pressure, I felt some of his strikes, but putting me up against the cage he didn’t really do anything.
“We followed our strategy, but giving him the win with a gameplan like that, it kind of incentivises people to [just hold you against the fence].
“I’m gonna take a few days off then get back to training.”
UFC 313 LIVE: Alex Pereira loses title to Magomed Ankalaev
Ankalaev: “I can’t even put it into words, it’s been such a long way, and here’s my dream: it’s on my waist.
“I don’t think anything surprised me. I think I could have done a better job in the fight, but something just wasn’t working out.
“The plan was to pressure, pressure, pressure. Everyone who fights against him always counters, but my job was to fight as No 1.”
UFC 313 LIVE: Alex Pereira loses title to Magomed Ankalaev
Magomed Ankalaev def. Alex Pereira via unanimous decision (49-46, 48-47, 48-47)
And NEW!! No problem with that at all. Pereira was just not at the races today.
UFC 313 LIVE: Alex Pereira vs Magomed Ankalaev
Round five
Pereira needs a knockout, as Indy Sport sees it. Some people seem to have this fight 2-2, others 3-1 to Ankalaev. Indy Sport has it 4-0 to Ankalaev.
Ankalaev with a clean cross. Now a front kick to the body. Swiping right hook from the challenger.
Good head kick has Ankalaev retreating! The crowd roar on Pereira!
Powerful jab by Pereira snaps back Ankalaev’s head, and the Russian shoots for a takedown.
He won’t get it, but he SHOULD get a decision win here!
UFC 313 LIVE: Alex Pereira vs Magomed Ankalaev
Round four
Into the championship rounds. Ankalaev shoots against the fence and lands knees to the body and thigh of Pereira.
Pereira can’t disengage, and the minutes are slipping by. Referee Marc Goddard warns Ankalaev to work.
The crowd get restless, but both men are throwing strikes in the clinch – still against the fence. But Goddard steps in; wrong call, in my opinion.
The fighters are back in the open, anyhow. Can Pereira do anything here? Another hard body kick from Ankalaev.
Again Ankalaev tries a double-leg, and again he’s denied. Pereira still hasn’t been taken down tonight.
More hard knees to the body by Ankalaev, then an uppercut at point-blank range. Pereira actually throws him to the mat in the final second!
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