Magomed Ankalaev didn't exactly wrestle the UFC light heavyweight title away from Alex Pereira, but he did manage to beat "Poatan" at his own game. Ankalaev is now the 205-pound champion after a surprising unanimous decision from the judges in Las Vegas following a very close five-round fight. The loss ends Pereira's five-fight win streak, which included three title defenses.
How Pereira would handle Ankalaev's wrestling was a leading narrative heading into UFC 313. Few predicted Ankalaev would land the more effective strikes. While Pereira invested in calf kicks, Ankalaev focused on pressuring his opponent backward. Ankalaev didn't find great success at first, but his forward movement allowed him to land critical punches. Ankalaev landed several clean strikes in Round 2 and rocked him at the buzzer. It was the most decisive blow of the fight.
Oddsmakers correctly identified that Ankalaev's well-roundedness could trouble Pereira. Ankalaev didn't land a single of his 11 attempted takedowns, but his ability to mix in grappling fatigued Pereira and muted his offense. The fight was very close with people online split between 48-47 scores in either direction. The judges were more convinced, ruling a unanimous decision for Ankalaev (48-47, 48-47, 49-46).
A strong end to Round 2 for the challenger 👀@AnkalaevM | #UFC313 pic.twitter.com/6A45hoJ259
— UFC (@ufc) March 9, 2025
"I can't even put it into words," Ankalaev said post-fight through a Russian interpreter. "This is my dream and it's right here around my waist."
Ankalaev's victory was both validation and redemption. The new champion previously fought Jan Blachowicz for the vacant UFC light heavyweight title in 2022. The critically panned fight ended in a split draw, and UFC CEO Dana White opted to move on without granting either man a subsequent title shot. It took three fights for Ankalaev to earn another title shot despite being undefeated since September 2018.
"We followed our strategy," Pereira said after his loss. "We know that he puts people against the fence and plays that game. But winning with that gameplan incentivizes people to do that. People might say it's a boring style, but when a guy wins doing that it makes people want to do that."
Elsewhere on the card, Justin Gaethje got back in the win column with an impressive showing against Rafael Fiziev. The two previously duked it out in 2023 with Gaethje earning the majority decision. This time, it was a bit more clear as Gaethje earned the unanimous decision against an opponent making his return from injury on 12 days' notice. Plus, Ignacio Bahamondes made waves with his first-round submission of Jalin Turner, who promptly told reporters he planned to retire after his fourth loss in five fights.
CBS Sports was with you the entire way on Saturday bringing you all the results and highlights from the UFC 313 below.
It was not a great night for either fighter but Ankalaev's forward pressure was rewarded, even if the live crowd (and our scorecard) did not agree.
Pereira landed a good leg kick before an Ankalaev body kick. A big left hand landed for Ankalaev. Pereira came forward with a few good strikes as Ankalaev was backing up for one of the few times in the fight. Pereira connected with a good jab and then an inside leg kick. Another hard Pereira jab landed and a head kick was blocked. Ankalaev tried for a takedown but was stuffed. In the clinch, Ankalaev took the back trying for a takedown but Pereira continued to fight the hands and fend off being put on his back. Pereira spun around and got out of the worst danger before Ankalaev landed a few knees to the thighs. Ankalaev didn't do much of anything in the final round and that might cost him the title.
Ankalaev shot in immediately for a takedown but couldn't get it. He then clinched Pereira along the cage and tried to land a sweep but Pereira continued to defend well. Ankalaev continued to try to dip down in the clinch and put Pereira on his back but still hadn't managed to secure a takedown in the fight. Pereira spun free before Ankalaev clinched up again. The referee eventually separated the fighters and restarted them as nothing of significance happened in the clinch. Pereira landed to the leg again as Ankalaev continued to pressure forward. Ankalaev again shot in, again was denied the takedown but grabbed the clinch. Pereira fought off more takedown attempts but remained pinned against the cage in an Ankalaev clinch.
Pereira tried to open the round by pressing forward and ripping more calf kicks. Pereira ripped a kick to the body. Ankalaev continued to work some kicks to the body. Ankalaev shot for a takedown, Pereira slipped it and landed a short inside elbow. Pereira landed a pair of inside leg kicks and Ankalaev clinched and landed a knee to the body before Pereira slipped away. Another Ankalaev takedown attempt missed before Pereira landed a two-punch combination and a pair of leg kicks. Ankalaev landed a hard jab to Pereira's chin. Pereira is moving backward but he's landing more clean shots.
Ankalaev opened the round more aggressively, throwing punches and putting Pereira on the back foot. Pereira tried to get the leg kicks going again as Ankalaev started to look like he was going for a takedown before a good front kick to Pereira's stomach. Ankalaev landed a pair of good leg kicks that marked up Pereira's lead leg. Pereira landed a good jab and Ankalaev threw an overhand right in return. Ankalaev connected with a left hand to the body. Ankalaev blocked a Pereira head kick and then landed a good overhand left hand. Ankalaev threw a nice punch combination and landed two of those shots cleanly. Pereira responded with a nice jab. Pereira tried to get the leg kicks going again and Ankalaev threw a flurry of punches in return, continuing to switch stance as it suited him. Ankalaev landed a hard left late that stung Pereira and seemed to take his legs before the horn sounded.
Both fighters came out relatively cautious until Pereira started to throw leg kicks. Those leg kicks continued to land solidly for Pereira, eventually causing Ankalaev to move backward and hop a few times to get his leg loose again. Pereira also slipped out of the way of Ankalaev's power punches. Ankalaev eventually fired back with a few leg kicks of his own. Pereira missed a head kick and then a spinning head kick but kept the threat level high with those strikes. Ankalaev continued to land a few of his own leg kicks before Pereira landed a few more of his own. Pereira landed another leg kick and Ankalaev drove forward looking for a takedown but Pereira defended well in the clinch until the end of the round. In a frame that was mostly dictated by leg kicks, Pereira did the better work.
After Gaethje's big win, we move along to the main event. Five rounds between UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira and top challenger Magomed Ankalaev. Can Pereira survive arguably the most dangerous threat to his 205-pound crown?
Fiziev picked up the pace in Round 3 but his energy waned under Gaethje's relentless pressure. Likely tied one apiece, the third round was critical for both fighters. Fiziev took the early lead with his kicking game. Fiziev landed multiple hard kicks to the body and legs. Similar to their first fight, however, Fiziev's stamina tanked. Gaethje took over as Fiziev -- who took the fight on 10 days' notice -- slowed. Gaethje landed tremendous strikes in the clinch. Gaethje showed unbelievable dexterity to land a head kick from the clinch. "The Highlight" landed an even harder head kick down the stretch. The significant striking totals were razor thin in Round 3, but Gaethje pulled away late and took 29-28 scorecards.
"I'm pretty sure my hand is broken. That is one tough son of a b--ch," Gaethje said in his post-fight interview, praising Fiziev's performance on late notice.
Gaethje will likely hold firm at No. 3 in the UFC's official lightweight rankings. The only contenders ahead of him are Arman Tsarukyan and Charles Oliveira.
Gaethje pressured Fiziev early but couldn't build much momentum after eating a groin strike. The fight resumed after a brief pause. Gaethje landed a hard two-punch combo. Gaethje didn't overcommit to his strikes but kept moving forward as Fiziev's pace waned. Gaethje landed a blitzing combo in close. Fiziev whiffed on a head kick but followed through with a punch that snapped Gaethje's head back. Gaethje's best strike continued to be a sneaky right hook he'd throw over Fiziev's shoulder. A right uppercut dropped Fiziev! Fiziev got to his knees as Gaethje settled for a front head lock position.
Chaos was advertised but no one expected how the round would begin. Muay Thai specialist Fiziev landed a takedown early in Round 1 against the collegiate wrestler. Fiziev couldn't hold Gaethje but landed a knee on the way up. Fiziev's second attempt sparked a fascinating scramble. Gaethje somersaulted through the takedown attempt. The American nearly landed on top but Fiziev scrambled into a reverse mounted triangle choke. Fiziev sat on Gaethje's face, delivering hard punches and elbows to the body. Trapped underneath and absorbing blows, Gaethje exploded to his feet. Fiziev succeeded repeatedly with a crisp switch left body kick. Gaethje returned fire with a thudding overhand right. Both men made good accounts of themselves, but Fiziev nearly tripled his opponent in significant strikes.
Buckle up for this one. Justin Gaethje and Rafael Fiziev make the co-main event walk shortly. Gaethje and Fiziev produced one of 2023's best fights. Gaethje took a majority decision win that night. Gaethje and Fiziev run it back on short notice after Dan Hooker pulled out of tonight's fight with a hand injury.
Turner and Bahamondes did not shy from striking, but an early submission prevented the action duo from producing fireworks. Turner and Bahamondes wasted no time once the bell rang. The lightweights met in the center of the Octagon before launching various punch and kick combos. Turner punctuated his combo with a hard body kick before taking down Bahamondes. Not content with inactivity, Bahamondes launched a barrage of elbows from the bottom. Turner threw an elbow from the top but suddenly found himself trapped in a triangle choke. Turner tried to remain calm but Bahamondes adjusted the angle and forced the submission at 2:29 of Round 1.
Jalin Turner and Ignacio Bahamondes are up next! These are two explosive lightweights with a serious appetite for finishing fights. Bahamondes spinning wheel kick knockout of Roosevelt Roberts was one of 2021's most memorable finishes. Turner has finished all 14 of his professional fights.
Before Amanda Lemos and Iasmin Lucindo made their walkouts, the UFC announced another inductee into the 2025 UFC Hall of Fame. Former UFC welterweight champion "Ruthless" Robbie Lawler will enter the modern wing of the UFC Hall of Fame.
Lucindo's team demanded activity from her and she answered accordingly. Lucindo shot out of a cannon in Round 3 after a lifeless first two rounds. Lucindo got her arms around Lemos and planted her 30 seconds into the round. Lucindo was never close to a finish but showed refreshing tenacity. Lucindo attempted to improve position, giving Lemos enough space to initiate a scramble. The women returned to their feet briefly before Lemos hit another bodylock takedown. Neither woman did much on the ground, but Lucindo got the most control time. The fight seemingly ended prematurely after the horn was blown five seconds early. I don't think anyone will complain about cutting that fight short. All three judges awarded Lemos 29-28 scores.
Lucindo attempted to channel her inner Mauricio Ruffy to no avail. Lucindo uncorked a messy wheel kick that nearly took the aggressor off her feet. Lemos responded with a thumping leg kick that spurred a grappling exchange. Lemos continued to outperform her foe in close. Lemos earned superior leverage against the fence, landed a hard elbow and foot swept Lucindo to the mat. From there, the one-time title challenger repeated her efforts in Round 1 by controlling her grounded opponent with very little offense. Lemos closed the round with a solid hammer fist to cap off an uneventful round.
Lemos' success controlling Lucindo was the biggest takeaway from the opening round. Both fighters were patient on the feet, arguably too patient. Neither woman stood out until Lemos secured a takedown halfway through the round. While Lemos didn't score much offense on the ground, she was busy enough to prevent the referee from standing them up. Lucindo offered little resistance on her back, content to stay grounded. A post-round replay showed a grazing elbow that cut Lucindo under her left eye.
The sophomore main card fight takes place in the women's strawweight division. Former title challenger Amanda Lemos takes on Iasmin Lucindo. Lemos hopes to bounce back from a loss to Virna Jandiroba by snapping Lucindo's four-fight winning streak.
Ruffy did not waste a single motion on Saturday. Ruffy was patient in his approach but committed to its execution. The Fighting Nerds representative slowly corralled King Green to the fence before uncorking a picture perfect wheel kick. Green took the heel directly to his cheek and hit the mat face first. The official finish came officially at 2:07 of Round 1.
"Las Vegas, good night!" Ruffy said in his post-fight interview before calling out Beneil Dariush for a UFC Fight Night main event.
UFC 313's pay-per-view main card is officially underway! We open tonight's five fight main card with Mauricio Ruffy vs. King Green. This should be a striker's delight between two fighters trending in different directions. Ruffy represents the Fighting Nerds team running roughshod in various divisions. Green is determined to turn things around after being submitted by Paddy Pimblett at UFC 304.
Van and Tsuruya standout entered UFC 313 as two of the most compelling flyweight prospects. Their combined record before Saturday's fight was 22-2. Once the cage door closed, Van soared by his fellow flyweight. Van rendered Tsuruya's offense ineffective for 15 minutes. Tsuruya, who was undefeated before tonight, was significantly outstruck in all three rounds. Tsuruya found brief success with takedowns but couldn't generate enough offense to swing the rounds in his favor. Van was on the hunt from start to finish and it rewarded him with a clean sweep on the scorecards.
Next up to bat are flyweights Joshua Van and Rei Tsuruya. Van is a -190 favorite in this battle between compelling prospects.
If Ferreira is beating you, he's stopping you. "The Hulk" kept his finishing streak intact on Saturday, stopping his 13th opponent in as many wins. Petrosyan experienced disaster after disaster from the start. In Round 1, Ferreira rocked Petrosyan with an overhand left. Petrosyan recovered but put himself well behind by landing two consecutive groin kicks. Petrosyan's second infraction earned a point deduction, likely putting him at a 10-8 deficit. Petrosyan's questionable tactics continued in Round 2. The referee briefly halted the action for a potential groin strike to Petrosyan, but the blow clearly landed to the body. Later, Petrosyan grabbed the fence repeatedly while underneath Ferreira. Petrosyan's shady efforts were fruitless as Ferreira scored an armbar submission at 4:27 of Round 2.
Next we move to the middleweight division. Armen Petrosyan is desperate for a win after consecutive losses. Petrosyan most recently suffered a Knockout of the Year contender when Shara Bullet dropped him with a double spinning back fist. Ferreira has finished all 12 of his professional wins but his KO power couldn't save him from Abus Magomedov's submission game last time out.
Morono's heart is unquestionable but grit wasn't enough on Saturday. Leal lived up to expectations as a -700 betting favorite. Leal overloaded Morono with relentless strikes to the head and body. He rocked Morono halfway through Round 1 and never let up. Leal cracked Morono repeatedly with punches and inside elbows to the head, switching to body punches and knees whenever Morono got his guard up. Morono, looking increasingly punch drunk, continued to swing ineffective Hail Mary punches. The referee mercifully intervened at 4:16 of Round 1.
Welcome to CBS Sports' live coverage of UFC 313: Alex Pereira vs. Magomed Ankalaev. We'll have fight recaps from this point forward with round-by-round play-by-play for the main card. No need to refresh, just keep your eyes glued here.
Ozzy Diaz and Mairon Santos won their fights against Djorden Santos and Francis Marshall, respectively. Next up is Carlos Leal vs. Alex Morono on the preliminary card. Leal is tonight's biggest betting favorite, clocking in at -700.
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