The Dagestani dominance in the UFC remains unshaken. In a stunning turn of events at UFC 313, Magomed Ankalaev defeated Alex Pereira to claim the light heavyweight title. What was even more surprising was that Ankalaev didn’t need to rely on his ground game to secure the win. Instead, he executed a strategy reminiscent of Khabib Nurmagomedov’s staple gameplan—minus the wrestling—by applying relentless pressure on the Brazilian. This approach ultimately earned him a unanimous decision victory, showcasing the versatility and toughness that have become hallmarks of Dagestani fighters.
And the former 155lbs juggernaut, as you can imagine, was pretty stoked at Ankalaev who became the third UFC champion from Dagestan. Moreover, the first to win a title that wasn’t vacant. “Congratulations Brother @AnkalaevM you made a history it was amazing performance against very tough opponent.” ‘The Eagle’ wrote on X.
And Ankalaev, for his part, was very appreciative of the former champ, and credited him for paving the way for him to become a UFC champion. “Thank you my brother you beginning the way for us,” the new 205lbs champ replied.
Thank you my brother you beginning the way for us
— Magomed Ankalaev (@AnkalaevM) March 9, 2025
Before Nurmagomedov rose to prominence, few knew much about Dagestan—let alone its rich wrestling culture. However, after Khabib’s success in the UFC, Dagestani fighters exploded onto the MMA scene, quickly making their mark and finding significant success. What’s truly remarkable is that Dagestan, with a population of just over three million, has managed to produce an impressive roster of world-class fighters.
To put that in perspective, the United States, with a population nearing 350 million—nearly a hundred times that of Dagestan—has the same number of current male champions in the UFC (two). We are of course talking about 155lbs champ Islam Makhachev and the aforementioned Ankalaev against the heavyweight kingpin Jon Jones and 170lbs gold standard Belal Muhammad. This unprecedented success story can largely be credited to Khabib’s groundbreaking achievements, which paved the way for other fighters from his region to follow in his footsteps.
With Alex Pereira’s dethronement, there’s now just one Brazilian male champion left in the UFC: flyweight king Alexandre Pantoja. However, ‘Poatan’ is determined to change that, and he’s ready to regain his title and restore Brazil’s prominence in the UFC.
Alex Pereira vows to rematch Magomed Ankalaev soon
Magomed Ankalaev’s pressure forced Alex Pereira to fight on the back foot, which the Brazilian is not used to. And it worked perfectly for the Dagestani, whose forward pressure and clinch work in the latter rounds tired out ‘Poatan’ to the point that he was breathing through his mouth towards the end of the fight. But Pereira is undeterred and is raring to take back his title.
“That’s it everyone, some marks but I’m good, I’m gonna rest a bit, I’ll be back like I’ve always done. This has already happened before but I’m good. I’m grateful for all your support, for all your love, and always supporting me… That’s that, life continues… I’m gonna make some adjustments for the rematch and I’ll be back much better, you can count on it… Chama,” the Brazilian former champ told fans on social media a few hours after his loss.
Of course, Pereira wants an immediate rematch. And both Ankalaev and Dana White seem to be on board. “I’m happy to do a rematch if he wants a rematch but then maybe in the rematch he can fight for real and not run away the whole time,” Ankalaev told reporters at the post-fight presser.
March 8, 2025, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA: MAGOMED ANKALAEV 21-1-1, 1 NC of Teletl, Russia defeats ALEX PEREIRA 12-3-0 of SoÂo Paulo, Brazil by unanimous decision 49-46, 48-47, 48-47 during UFC 313 at the T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas Las Vegas USA – ZUMAo117 20250308_zsp_o117_029 Copyright: xMikaelxOnax
Dana White, when asked about the prospect of the rematch, simply said “probably”. This has made fans hopeful that we will see ‘Poatan’ back in action and fighting for a title before the end of the year. What do you think about Khabib Nurmagomedov and Magomed Ankalaev’s interaction on X?
The post Magomed Ankalaev Pays Homage to Khabib After Outclassing Alex Pereira at UFC 313 – “You Beginning the Way” appeared first on EssentiallySports.
