SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH – OCTOBER 05: Alex Pereira of Brazil prepares to face Khalil Rountree Jr. in … [+] the UFC light heavyweight championship fight during the UFC 307 event at Delta Center on October 05, 2024 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)
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The next pay-per-view card on the 2025 UFC schedule is fast approaching. That event, UFC 313, takes place this Saturday, March 8, from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV. In the main event, Alex Pereira looks to defend his UFC light heavyweight title for the fourth time when he meets Magomed Ankalaev inside the Octagon. We look at the picks, predictions and betting odds for the UFC 313 fight card main event matchup between Pereira and Ankalaev.
The UFC 313 fight card features a lightweight co-main event meeting between former BMF champion Justin Gaethje and Rafael Fiziev.
UFC 313 Fight Card Main Event Preview: Pereira Vs. Ankalaev
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH – OCTOBER 05: Alex Pereira of Brazil reacts after his TKO victory against … [+] Khalil Rountree Jr. in the UFC light heavyweight championship fight during the UFC 307 event at Delta Center on October 05, 2024 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)
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Alex Pereira (12-2) began 2023 by losing his UFC middleweight title to Israel Adesanya by knockout. In July, Pereira followed that setback with a win over former UFC light heavyweight title holder, Jan Błachowicz, in his UFC debut at 205 pounds. He finished the year by knocking out ex-UFC light heavyweight kingpin Jiří Procházka at UFC 295 to claim the vacant UFC 205-pound title.
Pereira made his first defense of his crown in April when he knocked out(another) ex-UFC light heavyweight champ, Jamahal Hill, in the first round of their UFC 300 matchup. Pereira showed his power is on another level, when he finished Hill 3:14 into the first round of the main event of UFC 300.
In June, on very short notice, the UFC called on Pereira and Procházka to headline UFC 303 when the Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler fight fell off that card.
After the bout, which Pereira won via a knockout 13 seconds into the second stanza, I wrote:
“Pereira showed that his first win over Prochazka wasn’t a fluke. The UFC light heavyweight champ is a fearsome fighter who packs a lot of power in his strikes, but he’s also an extremely focused competitor who doesn’t let anything bother him.
“Pereira effectively scored two knockouts on Saturday night, blasting former champion Jiri Prochazka to the mat at the bell to end the first round and then sending him right back down in the opening moments of the second round with a head kick.”
In August the UFC booked Pereira against Khalil Rountree Jr for the main event of UFC 307, which took place on October 5. Pereira outclassed Rountree, putting a beating on his opponent before scoring a fourth-round TKO win.
Pereira picked up his third UFC title defense of 2024 on Saturday night. Pereira let his opponent, Khalil Rountree Jr, tire himself out in the early going of the fight while simultaneously slowing him with powerful kicks to Rountree’s lead leg. Pereira picked up the pace in the third round, fighting very effectively behind his jab. That jab opened up several nasty cuts around Rountree’s eye and on the bridge of his nose. Those blows hurt Rountree, and once Pereira had Rountree fading, he picked him apart with precision and power, forcing the referee, Marc Goddard, to stop the fight in the fourth round. Goddard could have stopped this much sooner.
Pereira was in the running for fighter of the year for 2024.
ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES – OCTOBER 26: (R-L) Magomed Ankalaev of Russia punches Aleksandar … [+] Rakic of Austria in a light heavyweight fight during the UFC 308 event at Etihad Arena on October 26, 2024 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
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Magomed Ankalaev (19-1-1-1) has been a member of the UFC roster since 2018. Ankalaev lost his UFC debut when Paul Craig submitted him at 4:59 of the third round. Since then, Ankalaev has gone 13 fights without a loss.
Ankalaev secured a title fight in December 2022 when he faced former UFC champion Jan Blachowicz for the vacant light heavyweight crown. However, that contest ended in a split draw, and with neither man impressing the matchmakers in that matchup, the UFC opted not to give either man a second go at earning the belt.
Since then, Ankalaev is 2-0-0-1 with a no contest (illegal knee) against Johnny Walker, and most recently a decision winover Aleksandar Rakic at UFC 308.
When the UFC opted to give UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira a fight against Khalil Rountree at UFC 307 and bypass Ankalaev, he felt snubbed by the promotion, but also motivated.
“Now everybody knows I’m not fighting for the title and will fight Rakic in Abu Dhabi. Whoever (UFC matchmaker) Mick Maynard gives me I will smash their face so that they can no longer deny me if I do my job impressively. I feel sorry for whoever is gonna fight me from now going forward,” Ankalaev said at the time.
Not long after that, Ankalaev said that Pereira was running from him.
On Saturday, Ankalaev gets the chance to face down Pereira.
UFC 313 Fight Card Main Event Preview: Pereira Vs. Ankalaev Betting Odds
When the betting odds opened for the UFC 313 main event, Ankalaev was a -200 betting favorite over the +170 Pereira. Today, Pereira is listed at -105, while Ankalaev comes in at -115, making this fight a pick ’em.
*Odds via Betonline
UFC 313 Fight Card Main Event Tale Of The Tape: Pereira Vs. Ankalaev
Alex Pereira:
Age: 37 Height: 6’ 4” Reach: 79”
Stance: Orthodox
Magomed Ankalaev:
Age: 32 Height: 6’ 3” Reach: 75”
Stance: Orthodox
UFC 313 Fight Card Main Event Stats: Pereira Vs. Ankalaev
Alex Pereira:
Significant Strikes Landed per Minute: 5.46 Striking Accuracy: 63% Significant Strikes Absorbed per Minute: 3.44 Striking Defense: 55% Takedowns per 15 Minutes: 0.14 Takedown Accuracy: 100%
Takedown Defense: 70%
Magomed Ankalaev:
Significant Strikes Landed per Minute: 3.64 Striking Accuracy: 52% Significant Strikes Absorbed per Minute: 2.37 Striking Defense: 58% Takedowns per 15 Minutes: 0.92 Takedown Accuracy: 31%
Takedown Defense: 86%
ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES – OCTOBER 26: Magomed Ankalaev of Russia reacts after a victory … [+] against Aleksandar Rakic of Austria in a light heavyweight fight during the UFC 308 event at Etihad Arena on October 26, 2024 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
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UFC 313 Fight Card Main Event Predictions and Picks: Pereira Vs. Ankalaev
UFC light heavyweight champion is not a mystery. He is a striker with limited ground skills. Despite everyone knowing exactly what his game plan will be on fight night, only one man has defeated him under the UFC banner and that was Israel Adesanya, who didn’t figure out how to get by Pereira until the fourth time they faced off in a combat sports setting. That is to say, beating Pereira is easier said than done.
Magomed Ankalaev is getting a lot of respect from bettors and oddsmakers in this matchup because he has a ground game that might be able to negate the skills of the champ. No one will deny that, but this is MMA and each round starts standing, which gives Pereira a distinct advantage in this matchup.
The betting pick is for Alex Pereira to defeat Magomed Ankalaev via knockout. For those who favor the challenger, pick Ankalaev to grind out a decision.
We will have more on the UFC 313 fight card as fight night nears, including live results, reactions, highlights and more for the UFC 313 pay-per-view card.
