Magomed Ankalaev believes Alex Pereira’s 80-second knockout win was nothing more than a “lucky punch.”
The former UFC light heavyweight champion has questioned Pereira’s dominant performance at UFC 320, suggesting the Brazilian may have known about his injury before their October 2025 rematch.
“Poatan” reclaimed the 205-pound title with a devastating first-round finish, but Ankalaev insists their rivalry remains unresolved and believes the circumstances surrounding the fight played a significant role in the outcome.
Magomed Ankalaev Suggests Alex Pereira Knew About His Injury
Speaking to Bostanov MMA, Ankalaev questioned Pereira’s decision to attack immediately and argued that the Brazilian’s aggressive approach might have been influenced by knowledge of his physical condition.
His business with me isn’t settled at all. You could call what happened a lucky punch. That’s how he beat me. I think they knew I had some kind of injury. I don’t think any fighter had ever rushed at me like that before. If he hadn’t known I was injured, I don’t think it would have ended so quickly.
Ankalaev’s comments suggest he believes Pereira capitalized on a vulnerability rather than definitively proving himself the better fighter. However, his claim that Pereira knew about the injury has not been independently established.
The rematch at UFC 320 delivered a stunning reversal of their first encounter. Ankalaev had defeated Pereira by unanimous decision at UFC 313 in March 2025, taking the light heavyweight championship with scores of 48-47, 48-47, and 49-46.
The Russian dictated much of that contest through forward pressure, restricting Pereira’s opportunities to land his trademark power shots. Seven months later, however, the Brazilian wasted no time asserting himself.
“Poatan” marched forward from the opening bell and unleashed a barrage of strikes. Ankalaev shot for a desperate takedown, but Pereira stuffed it and rained down punches and elbows from top position until referee Herb Dean stopped the fight 1:20 into the first round.
The circumstances surrounding Ankalaev’s defeat attracted further attention after the event. His manager, Ali Abdelaziz, initially offered limited details about the former champion’s condition but stated that he “should never have fought” at UFC 320.
A subsequent report indicated that Ankalaev had suffered a broken rib during training, potentially leaving him significantly compromised heading into the rematch.
