Alex Pereira’s reign as light heavyweight king has ended. But not without controversy. At UFC 313, Magomed Ankalaev did what many believed was impossible, he neutralized Pereira’s power and walked away with gold.
But while Khabib Nurmagomedov showered praise on his Dagestani compatriot, the former champion wasn’t too pleased with how the fight played out.
‘The Eagle’ a master of suffocating dominance, was quick to applaud Ankalaev writing on X, “Congratulations Brother @AnkalaevM you made a history it was amazing performance against very tough opponent.”
But Pereira had a different view. He acknowledged Ankalaev’s pressure but took issue with the execution. During the post-fight interview, he expressed, “I knew it would be a war. Every fight of mine is a war. 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.”
Pereira: I knew it would be a war. Every fight of mine is a war. 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. #UFC313
— Sherdog (@sherdogdotcom) March 9, 2025
For Pereira, it wasn’t just about losing—it was about how he lost. Did Ankalaev outfight him, or did he simply stall and survive?
More to follow…
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