Ankalaev Calls Pereira KO a Lucky Punch, Says Rivalry Is Not Over
Magomed Ankalaev dismisses his UFC 320 knockout loss to Alex Pereira as a fluke and wants a third fight.
Magomed Ankalaev is not ready to let go of the Alex Pereira rivalry. Speaking to Bostanov MMA, the former light heavyweight champion called his UFC 320 knockout loss a fluke and made it clear he wants a third fight.
"You could call what happened a lucky punch," Ankalaev said. "His business with me isn't settled at all."
Pereira finished Ankalaev in just 80 seconds at UFC 320, pressing forward from the opening bell and landing punches and elbows before referee Herb Dean waved it off. It was a sharp reversal from their first meeting at UFC 313 in March 2025, where Ankalaev controlled most of the action and won a unanimous decision to claim the 205-pound title.
Ankalaev also suggested Pereira's camp knew he was compromised heading into the rematch. "I think they knew I had some kind of injury," he said. "No fighter had ever rushed me like that before." Manager Ali Abdelaziz previously stated Ankalaev "should never have fought" at UFC 320, and later reports indicated a broken rib suffered in training camp.
Pereira has since moved up to heavyweight, where he is reportedly booked for UFC 335. Whether a trilogy with Ankalaev materializes depends on what happens at 205 and above, but the Dagestani fighter clearly believes the scoreboard is still 1-1 in spirit.
For now, the light heavyweight division moves on without either man at the top. But if Ankalaev gets his way, the third chapter of this rivalry is only a matter of time.
I get it. Nobody wants to believe the worst loss of their career was the real version of events. But calling a first-round knockout a lucky punch is a stretch, even by sore-loser standards.
Pereira came out like a man with a plan at UFC 320, and whether Ankalaev was hurt going in or not, that finish was violent and decisive. Herb Dean did not stop that fight early. The injury excuse from Abdelaziz adds some context, but fighters step in the cage at their own risk. You do not get an asterisk on the record.
That said, I would absolutely watch a trilogy. Their first fight was a real chess match, the second was a blitz. A rubber match with both guys healthy would tell us something. But Pereira is chasing heavyweight gold now, and Ankalaev needs to stack a couple of wins before anyone takes the trilogy talk seriously. Less talking, more fighting. That is the only way back.
KEEP TALKING FIGHTS.
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