Pereira And Ankalaev Make Weight: Who Wins?
Alex Pereira and Magomed Ankalaev made weight for their UFC 313 fight this weekend.
Pereira makes the defense of his UFC Lightweight Heavyweight Title in his first fight of 2025. He had a successful 2024, with three stoppage wins to retain his title: Jamahal Hill, Jiri Prochazka and Khalil Rountree Jr. He could secure a fight with the winner of Jon Jones vs. Tom Aspinall if he beats Ankalaev. Dana White has said this is possibility if Jones vs. Aspinall gets over the line. Ankalaev has plenty of reasons to feel confident. He has not lost in the UFC in his previous 13 fights. During this period, he secured 11 wins, a draw, and one no-contest. He secured a unanimous decision victory against Aleksandar Rakic in his last bout at UFC 308.
Perception
“If Ankalaev fights, he’s going to lose. He needs to do more. He’s a good fighter, but that style won’t work against Pereira. He has to believe in what he’s doing, not just fight carefully to avoid punches,” Jan Blachowicz
“You gotta go with Pereira.Pereira is so dominant. He beats guys before they even step in there. You saw it against Jiri Procházka,” Stephen Thompson
“Until I see someone figure out how to handle his power and pressure, I’m not betting against him. Seeing Pereira up close changed my perspective. He’s got that thing where it doesn’t always look pretty, but it works. He’s keeping that title,” John Wood
“I like Pereira. Hopefully, he gets it done,” Kody Steele
The Favorite
“That one’s risky. If Ankalaev tries to strike with Pereira, it could be a bad night for him. But if he wrestles, zaps his arms, and forces him to work, he could win. Still, I’m pushing for Pereira. I think it depends on Ankalaev’s game plan. Pereira’s fists are massive—one shot can change everything. I think Pereira wins,” Tim Welch
“I’m going with Pereira. Ankalaev could win with wrestling, but I wasn’t impressed with him against Jan Błachowicz. If he takes Pereira down and rides him out, sure, but I’m picking Pereira,” Grant Dawson
“I stopped going against Pereira a long time ago. He can beat anybody—wrestler or striker. It’s hard to bet against him,” Eddie Cha
“Ankalaev can win easily if he wrestles, but he said he’s going for the knockout, which doesn’t give me much hope. If he grapples, he wins. If Ankalaev strikes with Pereira, he’ll get knocked out,” Andre Petroski
Results
Alex Pereira (205) vs. Magomed Ankalaev (205)
Justin Gaethje (156) vs. Rafael Fiziev (156)
Jalin Turner (154.5) vs. Ignacio Bahamondes (156)
Amanda Lemos (116) vs. Iasmin Lucindo (115.5)
King Green (155.5) vs. Mauricio Ruffy (155.5)
Curtis Blaydes (262) vs. Rizvan Kuniev (264.5)
Joshua Van (125.5) vs. Rei Tsuruya (125.5)
Brunno Ferreira (186) vs. Armen Petrosyan (186)
Alex Morono (171) vs. Carlos Leal (169)
Mairon Santos (145.5) vs. Francis Marshall (146)
Chris Gutierrez (144.5) vs. John Castaneda (145)
Djorden Santos (185.5) vs. Ozzy Diaz (185.5)
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