Introduction
UFC 313: Pereira vs. Ankalaev took place on Saturday, March 8, 2025 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Magomed Ankalaev defeated Alex Pereira via unanimous decision to win the UFC light heavyweight title — ending Pereira's four-defense championship reign. The card produced an estimated 700,000 pay-per-view buys.
Ankalaev had been the most-discussed unbooked title fight in the light heavyweight division since his controversial split-draw with Jan Blachowicz in 2022. His TKO of Aleksandar Rakic at UFC 308 in October 2024 had finally earned him the title shot. Pereira was -250; Ankalaev was +190.
Contents
• Introduction
• Quick Stats
• The Build-Up
• Main Event
• Full Results
• Bonuses & Awards
• Records & Milestones
• Legacy & Impact
• FAQ
• References
Quick Stats
📅 Date: Saturday, March 8, 2025
📍 Venue: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
👥 Attendance: 20,171 (full capacity)
📺 PPV Buys: ~700,000
🏆 Main Event: Alex Pereira (c) vs. Magomed Ankalaev — UFC Light Heavyweight Championship (205 lbs)
✅ Result: Ankalaev def. Pereira via Unanimous Decision (49-46, 49-46, 49-46)
The Build-Up
Alex Pereira had run the light heavyweight title through four defenses: TKO Jiri Prochazka at UFC 295, TKO Jamahal Hill at UFC 300, KO Prochazka 2 at UFC 303, TKO Rountree at UFC 307. Ankalaev had been the most-robbed uncrowned champion in the division since his split-draw with Blachowicz in 2022. His UFC 308 TKO of Rakic earned the title shot.
Main Event: Pereira vs. Ankalaev
Ankalaev used wrestling pressure and volume to disrupt Pereira's counter-punch game across five rounds. He scored takedowns in rounds one, two, and four; his striking volume in rounds three and five outpaced Pereira's counter-punch game.
Pereira created genuine danger in round three and round five — clean right hands that wobbled Ankalaev on two occasions — but could not follow with finishing combinations. Ankalaev's chin absorbed both shots. Final scorecards: 49-46, 49-46, 49-46. Magomed Ankalaev was the UFC light heavyweight champion.
Full Results
Main Card (Pay-Per-View)
Magomed Ankalaev def. Alex Pereira (c) — Unanimous Decision (49-46 ×3) — Light Heavyweight Title
Islam Makhachev (c) def. Renato Moicano — Unanimous Decision (50-45 ×3) — Lightweight Title (Makhachev retains)
Bo Nickal def. Brendan Allen — Submission (rear-naked choke) — R2 — Middleweight
Carlos Ulberg def. Jamahal Hill — TKO (punches) — R2 — Light Heavyweight
Mateusz Gamrot def. Dan Hooker — Unanimous Decision (29-28 ×3) — Lightweight
Preliminary Card (ESPN/ESPN+)
Nursulton Ruziboev def. Gerald Meerschaert — TKO (punches) — R1 — Middleweight
Rinat Fakhretdinov def. Nicolas Dalby — Unanimous Decision (29-28 ×3) — Welterweight
Bonuses & Awards
🥇 Performance of the Night: Magomed Ankalaev — $50,000 for the dominant 49-46 unanimous-decision win over Alex Pereira to win the light heavyweight title.
🥇 Performance of the Night: Islam Makhachev — $50,000 for the dominant 50-45 unanimous-decision win over Renato Moicano, his fifth consecutive lightweight title defense.
🥇 Performance of the Night: Bo Nickal — $50,000 for the second-round submission of Brendan Allen, his seventh UFC win.
Records & Milestones
• Ankalaev became the first Dagestani UFC light heavyweight champion in divisional history.
• Pereira's four-defense light heavyweight title reign (2023-2025) was the most active in divisional history since Jon Jones's 2011-2015 run.
• Makhachev def. Moicano 50-45 — his fifth consecutive title defense, tying Khabib's record at lightweight.
Legacy & Impact
UFC 313 is remembered as the night the Pereira light heavyweight era ended and the Ankalaev era began. Ankalaev's wrestling pressure and volume executed the blueprint that had eluded every prior challenger. His takedown sequences were more efficient than any prior opponent; his chin absorbed the two wobbling moments without crisis.
Makhachev's 50-45 sweep of Moicano confirmed his status as the consensus #1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world — the dominant title defense on the same card as the Ankalaev upset gave the night two clear chapter-defining moments.
FAQ
What was the blueprint for beating Pereira?
Wrestling pressure to disrupt Pereira's preferred counter-punching range, combined with the chin to absorb his power shots when they land clean. Every contender who tried to out-strike Pereira at distance — Prochazka twice, Hill, Rountree — failed. Ankalaev's wrestling takedowns neutralised the counter-punch setup and his 49-46 sweep reflected how completely the blueprint was executed.
How does UFC 313 compare to UFC 312?
UFC 313 drew approximately 700,000 PPV buys versus UFC 312 (750,000) two weeks earlier — a 50,000-buy drop. The two title changes matched UFC 312's output despite the lower headline buy rate.
References
UFC 313: Pereira vs. Ankalaev — Wikipedia