At UFC 313, Magomed Ankalaev ended Alex Pereira’s dominant reign at 205 lbs. The Brazilian had defended the title three times in just 175 days, all by stoppage against Jamahal Hill, Jiri Prochazka, and Khalil Rountree Jr. But Ankalaev flipped the script in March, smothering the champion with relentless pressure. Though Pereira stuffed all 12 takedown attempts, he never found his rhythm, and the judges awarded Ankalaev a unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 49-46). With an immediate rematch set for UFC 320 in October, things seem to be heating up between the two top dogs.
Nearly a week out from their rematch, Ankalaev and Pereira ran into each other at the UFC Performance Institute in Las Vegas, adding fuel to their heated rivalry.