“Walked in And Snatched His Chain” – Fans in Shock as Alex Pereira Humiliates Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 320 Grudge Match

Brazilian superstar Alex Pereira reclaims the UFC light heavyweight championship by beating Magomed Ankalaev in the main event of UFC 320.

“Walked in And Snatched His Chain” – Fans in Shock as Alex Pereira Humiliates Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 320 Grudge Match

Alex Pereira beats Magomed Ankalaev via TKO (via X)

🔍 Explore this post with:

ChatGPTPerplexityGrok AIGoogle AI

The light heavyweight title clash between Alex Pereira and Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 320 was among the most anticipated rematches of the year. In their first encounter at UFC 313, the Russian fighter stunned everyone by defeating Pereira via unanimous decision. However, this weekend, ‘Poatan’ avenged his loss with a spectacular and devastating TKO finish.

In their first encounter, Alex Pereira struggled to display his world class striking because Ankalaev constantly threatened him with takedown attempts. There were several questions and doubts about how the fighter would deal with that pressure in the rematch. At UFC 320, the Brazilian entered the octagon with renewed aggression, showing no fear as he charged straight toward the reigning champion.

After the opening exchanges, Alex Pereira landed a powerful combination that dropped Ankalaev before launching a relentless barrage of vicious ground-and-pound. He then unleashed multiple 12-6 elbows, which were previously banned for years due to safety concerns, but recently became legal.

With Ankalaev offering no defense, the referee intervened at the 1:20 mark, stopping the fight and awarding Pereira a decisive victory. Pereira made a massive statement by defying all odds, earning his third fastest finish in MMA and eleventh knockout overall. After the TKO, Pereira performed his signature celebration, signaling how effortlessly he regained the light heavyweight title.

Ahead of UFC 320, the tension between Ankalaev and Alex Pereira escalated with heated exchanges, showcasing an intense rivalry buildup. The Russian fighter mocked ‘Poatan’ on X numerous times before the rematch. Ankalaev had promised a knockout to settle scores, but the fight’s reality completely contradicted his confident pre-fight assertions and threats.

During the face-off, Pereira’s visible anger fueled his intensity inside the octagon, yet he still displayed measured respect toward the former champion. Although the rivalry was fierce, ‘Poatan’ refrained from taunting but said ‘Chama’ on Ankalaev’s face, and the crowd also chanted along. 

Fans react to Alex Pereira regaining the light heavyweight belt after destroying Magomed Ankalaev 

Alex Pereira has firmly established himself as one of the most popular and entertaining fighters in modern MMA history. Previously, Pereira held the middleweight championship and engaged in a legendary rivalry with Israel Adesanya, producing some memorable bouts. He then moved up to light heavyweight, captured the title, and defended his belt three times within a single year.

Alex Pereira walks out after beating Magomed Ankalaev
Alex Pereira walks out after beating Magomed Ankalaev (via X)

These accomplishments significantly increased his international fame, elevating him into the realm of global superstars recognized across the combat sports industry. Following his UFC 313 loss, critics attributed defeat to distractions caused by his popularity and a perceived lack of training.

In the UFC 320 post-fight interview, Pereira admitted he wasn’t in optimal condition during the previous fight, explaining the earlier underperformance. Instead of delivering a victory speech, Pereira chose to honor Jon Jones’ brother Arthur Jones‘ death by showing deep respect.

Jon and Pereira share a friendship and had been planning a potential fight before Pereira unfortunately lost his championship belt. Nevertheless, here are some reactions following Pereira’s brutal beatdown of Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 320. 

During the press conference as well as the fight, Ankalaev was welcomed with constant boos as fans wanted Pereira to win. As expected, they were hyped about the result and were shocked that it took the Brazilian less than two minutes to win. Many mentioned that the light heavyweight division has been saved, as Ankalaev was considered a boring champ.

Others hailed Pereira as a potential GOAT for his incredible comeback win. Jiri Prochazka, who scored a knockout against Khalil Rountree earlier in the night, was present at the Octagon. The Samurai looked eager for a rematch against Alex Pereira, potentially setting up their third highly anticipated title fight in UFC history.

Additionally, Carlos Ulberg attended the arena following his win against Dominick Reyes, signaling his interest in securing a future championship opportunity. It will be intriguing to see which contender the UFC ultimately selects as the next suitable opponent for reigning champion Alex Pereira.

Also Read: