Magomed Ankalaev challenged dangerous champion Alex Pereira at his own game for much of the first three rounds in the main event of UFC 313 on Saturday night at T-Mobile Arena.
Then he decided it was time to play it smart with the belt squarely in his sights.
Ankalaev pinned Pereira against the cage for much of the fourth round and then again for the final 90 seconds of the fifth and scored a unanimous decision to take away the light heavyweight title.
Ankalaev (21-1-1, one no-contest) won 49-46, 48-47 and 48-47 on the scorecards to end Pereira’s championship reign.
“I’ve waited a long, long time, but here is my dream,” Ankalaev said through a translator. “It’s on my waist.”
He entered with what was believed to be a massive grappling advantage against the world champion kickboxer and feared striker, but still decided to mostly strike with Pereira for the first three rounds.
“Everybody that fights against him always counters, but my job was to make sure I was (the aggressor),” Ankalaev said. “Everyone who fights against me becomes the counter.”
Pereira (12-3) said he was committed to get back in the gym and returning to pursue the belt again as soon as possible.
“I knew it would be a war because every fight of mine becomes a war,” Pereira said after losing a belt he had held since November 2023. “He put some pressure on me in the second round and I felt his strikes, but putting me up against the cage, he didn’t really do anything.
“People might say that’s a boring style, but if it works and you win it incentivizes you to do it against me.”
Gaethje beats Fiziev again
In the co-main event, Justin Gaethje (27-5) outslugged Rafael Fiziev (12-4) to earn his second decision victory over the lightweight contender in the past two years.
The fighters traded big shots throughout the fight, with Fiziev scoring a couple of takedowns in the first round and Gaethje knocking him down and nearly finishing the bout in the second.
Gaethje won 29-28 on all three scorecards after earning a majority decision when they fought in March 2023.
Fiziev jumped at the chance for a rematch when Gaethje’s original opponent, Dan Hooker, had to pull out of the bout less than two weeks ago with an injury and several other contenders turned down the shot to take on Gaethje.
“He really changed his tactics this time,” Gaethje said. “Twelve days notice, he’s a tough (guy). This is a crazy (expletive) sport.”
It was the first bout for Gaethje since suffering a devastating last-second knockout at the hands of Max Holloway last April.
“This is living right here,” he said. “I had to come back. I had to show everybody that I don’t care how far down you are, it’s on you to get back on the horse.”
Bahamondes submits Turner
Ignacio Bahamondes (17-5), a Chilean lightweight whose flashy striking has made him a rising star, showed he has even more to his game with a first-round submission of Jalin Turner (14-9).
Turner scored an early takedown and held top position for several minutes, but Bahamondes softened him up with elbows from his back and then locked in a triangle choke to force the tap-out.
It was just the second career submission win for Bahamondes, who is 6-1 in his past seven UFC bouts.
Turner stopped on his way back to the locker room to inform a small group of reporters he intends to retire after the loss, his second straight.
Lemos takes decision
Amanda Lemos (15-4-1) grinded out a unanimous decision over Iasmin Lucindo (17-6) in a bout in which neither women’s strawweight contender could generate much offense in the standup.
Lemos earned the nod by controlling position for much of the first two rounds on the ground.
‘One Shot’ for Ruffy
Rising lightweight star Mauricio “One Shot” Ruffy (12-1) lived up to his nickname with a spectacular first-round knockout in the first fight on the main card.
Ruffy stalked King Green (32-17-1, one no-contest) around the cage before unleashing a devastating spinning wheel kick that left him knocked out face-first on the mat 2:07 into the opening round.
It was the sixth straight win overall and third in the UFC for Ruffy, whose popular Brazilian “Fight Nerds” team continues to rack up victories in the organization.
Preliminary bouts
Welterweight Carlos Leal scored the only knockout of the preliminary card with a stoppage of Alex Morono at 4:16 of the first round.
Middleweight Brunno Ferreira locked in an armbar late in the second round to force a submission by Armen Petrosyan.
Flyweight Joshua Van and middleweight Ozzy Diaz scored unanimous-decision wins, while Mairon Santos was awarded a split decision over featherweight Francis Marshall despite Marshall winning all three rounds on the third card.
Lawler to Hall of Fame
The organization announced former welterweight champion Robbie Lawler has been named as part of the 2025 UFC Hall of Fame class.
He made his UFC debut in 2002, won the belt in 2014 and successfully defended it twice. Lawler was known for his role in some of the wildest fights in UFC history, including thrillers against Rory MacDonald and Carlos Condit.
Lawler, the 16th member of the Modern Wing, will be inducted June 26 in a ceremony at T-Mobile Arena.
This is a developing story. Cbeck back for updates.
Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on X.