Could Magomed Ankalaev Unseat UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Alex Pereira?

Is Magomed Ankalaev the one to finally take Alex Pereira's title?
Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

UFC 313 may be looked back upon as the event that defines light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira's legacy after all.

Alex Pereira vs. Magomed Anakalev at UFC 313

Last Saturday night, it was announced Pereira would be returning to the Octagon opposite No. 1 contender Magomed Ankalaev in the main event, a fight that has been teased for over a year.

Could Magomed Ankalaev Unseat UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Alex Pereira?
Oct 5, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Alex Pereira (red gloves) fights Khalil Rountree Jr. (blue gloves) in a light heavyweight title bout during UFC 307 at Delta Center. Could Magomed Ankalaev Unseat UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Alex Pereira? / Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

The bad blood intensified shortly after the promotion's unveiling, as both men took to 'X' to begin a rather dark pre-fight buildup so far.

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Pereira kept his message toward Ankalaev simple and direct, whereas Ankalaev took an entirely different approach.

"See you soon, Ankalaev," Pereira wrote on 'X.'

Ankalaev's comeback was unthinkable and arguably X-Rated.

"You just sign your death certificate," Ankalaev wrote. "I’m gonna punish you for ducking me and I’m gonna make you look like a guy [who works] in a tire shop, not [a] professional fighter."

Feud aside, let's take a look at how the fight may materialize.

Keys for Both Alex Pereira, Magomed Ankalaev to Become Champion

Ankalaev (20-1-1 MMA, 11-1-1, 1 NC UFC) has been on a collision course to fight Pereira for quite some time. It'll be his first title fight in nearly three years, as he fought to a draw against Jan Błachowicz at UFC 282.

Since the draw, Ankalaev has won two of three fights, as his bout against Johnny Walker in Oct. 2023 was declared a No Contest.

Could Magomed Ankalaev Unseat UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Alex Pereira?
Dec 10, 2022; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Jan Blachowicz (red gloves) fights Magomed Ankalaev (blue gloves) during UFC 282 at T-Mobile Arena. v / Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

Pereira (12-2 MMA, 9-1 UFC) has won five in a row since moving up to light heavyweight following a loss in his immediate rematch with Israel Adesanya. It ended up being the best move for him, as he went undefeated last year with key wins against former champions Jamahal Hill and Jiri Prochazka before closing out the year against Khalil Rountree Jr.

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If Ankalaev can survive the hellacious Pereira storm of punches, kicks, knees, and elbows from the minute the bell rings, it's Ankalaev's fight to lose. He has been five rounds before while having to overcome the sting of feeling like he "lost." Pereira hasn't, and if he can keep his distance, he'll beat Ankalaev inside three rounds.

Could Magomed Ankalaev Unseat UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Alex Pereira?
Oct 5, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Alex Pereira (red gloves) reacts after defeating Khalil Rountree Jr. (blue gloves) in a light heavyweight title bout during UFC 307 at Delta Center. / Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

If not, a new era may begin, much less one of the most intense rivalries in divisional history.

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Zain Bando
ZAIN BANDO

Zain Bando is a writer for MMA Knockout, part of the Sports Illustrated/Minute Media umbrella. He has covered combat sports since 2019 for notable outlets BJPenn.com and FanSided MMA. He also co-hosts a podcast called "The MMA Outsiders," part of the Empty The Bench Podcast Network, which airs Tuesday nights at 7:00 p.m. ET/4:00 p.m. PT. A Chicago suburban native, Bando has been enthralled with MMA since 2006 and has been fortunate to attend some of the most high-profile events in the sport's history, both as a fan and media member, including UFC 264, Bellator 297 and Kayla Harrison's PFL MMA debut. He is excited to take the next step in his combat sports writing journey and looks forward to continuing his following of the fight game for years to come. Bando can be reached via email at zainbando99@gmail.com or by social media @zainbando99