Magomedov Ankalaev was able to put Alex Pereira on the back foot at times tonight in the main event of UFC 313 after rocking him late in the second round, and eventually emerged with a unanimous decision victory to become the new light-heavyweight champion.
Round One
The light-heavyweight main event is underway in Las Vegas!
Ankalaev on the outside to start. Pereira lands a calf kick. He connects with another. A third connects. And again. A five lands.
When Pereira lands a sixth calf kick Ankalaev tries to counter with a punch upstairs. Pereira with a calf kick. Ankalaev with an outside leg kick.
Pereira continuing to land the low kick and this time Ankalaev responds with one of his own. Body punch for Ankalaev. Pereira targets the body with a punch and then Ankalaev throws a punch and a head kick attempt behind it.
Leg kick for Ankalaev. Head kick attempt from Pereira is blocked and then settles for a low kick instead. Ankalaev trying to work an overhand.
Pereira still finding a home for his low kicks. Ankalaev lands his low kick. Front kick to the body for Ankalaev. Another calf kick for Pereira and Ankalaev responds by driving into a takedown attempt. They go to the cage still upright though and Pereira is able to stay on his feet in the final moments of the round.
Round Two
Ankalaev pressing forward with more purpose to start the second round. Pereira a bit more patient now. Solid front kick from Ankalaev. High kick attempt from Pereira is blocked. Low kick for Pereira. Now a low kick from Ankalaev too. He lands another.
Ankalaev loads up on a right hand. Now a punch to the body. Calf kick for Pereira. Body punch for Ankalaev. Body punch for Pereira now. Head kick attempt from Pereira is blocked. Left hand lands upstairs for Ankalaev. He looks for that again, but it doesn’t get through as cleanly. Right hook for him though.
Pereira with a punch and Ankalaev working his counter right high hook. Jab for Pereira. Front kick to the body for Ankalaev.
Ankalaev with a reaching left hand. He lands another left behind some feints. Low kick from Pereira as Ankalaev goes for a body punch.
Solid left and right hands from Ankalaev. Ankalaev pumping out more punches but not quite finding the mark. Late in the round Ankalaev lands a hard straight left that staggers the champion back against the cage, but he gets his legs back under him before the horn sounds.
Round Three
Ankalaev with a push kick to the body. Now he kicks to the leg. calf kick for Pereira. Front kick to the body from Ankalaev.
Straight left for Ankalaev. Body kick from Pereira. Inside leg kick for Pereira. Front kick to the body from Ankalaev.
Inside leg kick again from Pereira. He gets it again. Ankalaev tries to close in for a takedown, but Pereira avoids it.
Quick left hand from Ankalaev. Inside leg kick again from Pereira. Ankalaev clinches up against the cage while landing a good knee to the body. Pereira able to break free.
Ankalaev trying for a takedown, but Pereira denies it. Nice punch for Pereira. Then back to the low kicks. Ankalaev launches into a punch but misses.
Ankalaev pressing forward well. He lands a nice punch. Head kick off the back foot from Pereira is blocked. Head kick attempt from Ankalaev is also blocked right at the end of the round.
Round Four
Ankalaev pushes forward and looks for an early takedown, but Pereira defends it as they go up against the cage.
Ankalaev continuing to work in the clinch here. A few short punches to the body from him and then tries to work for the takedown again without success. Ankalaev happy to continue grinding in the clinch. Pereira breaks free, but Ankalaev lands a punch and then closes the distance quickly to get Pereira pushed back up against the cage again.
Pereira doing a good job of fending off any attempt from Ankalaev to work for the takedown here. Ankalaev with some punches from the clinch. The ref opts to separate them.
A couple of punches for Ankalaev. Low kick for Pereira. He tries for a head kick, but nothing doing. Ankalaev lands a left to the body. Now a right hand.
Ankalaev punches back into the clinch against the cage. Pereira defending, but not getting much offense off this round.
Round FIve
Kicks exchanged. Good punch from Ankalaev. Pereira doing his best to press the action now. Light body punches from him and Ankalaev does the same. Left hook for Pereira.
Body punch from Ankalaev. Calf kick and then a head kick on the other side from Pereira. His best moment for a while. Inside leg kick for Ankalaev. Left hand from the challenger. Uppercut attempt from Ankalaev misses. Jab for Pereira. Now a leg kick. Left hand from Ankalaev.
Stinging jab from Pereira. He threatens with a head kick attempt. Ankalaev clinches up against the cage. He shunts around to the back this time. Pereira defending as we head into the final minute.
Pereira turns back into Ankalaev. The challenger continues to work from the clinch. He gets around to the back again and lands a few knees. We’re headed to the scorecards.
Decision
A fairly close fight here then with Pereira having some good work early with low kicks, but Ankalaev grew into the bout as time went on with his forward pressure and staggered the champ late in the second round with a hard punch. That encouraged him to continue to press Pereira back in the rounds that followed, though without the same level of success, while Pereira was competitive in the final round to make this a close call for the judges.
The scorecards are in and we have a new light-heavyweight champion of the world – Magomed Ankalaev wins by unanimous decision (49-46, 48-47 x2).
