UFC 313: Timid Alex Pereira Loses His Unbeatable Aura in Loss Magomed Ankalaev

It can be easy to forget, but no fighter is unbeatable in MMA — not even a fearsome juggernaut like Alex "Poatan" Pereira.

Pereira, who has kept one of the busiest schedules in the sport in recent years, was back in action in the main event of Saturday's UFC 313 card in Las Vegas, defending his belt against surging Russian contender Magomed Ankalaev.

While the champion certainly held his own in the long-anticipated matchup, he ultimately lost his belt with a unanimous decision defeat after five rounds of nail-biting action.

It would be inaccurate to call the verdict a total surprise.

After three straight title defenses—all knockouts—it was getting harder and harder to imagine Pereira losing in the Octagon. However, Ankalaev has long been considered the decorated champion's toughest stylistic challenge at 205 pounds, and that's primarily because—unlike recent Pereira victims like Jiri Prochazka, Khalil Rountree and Jamahal Hill—he is an excellent wrestler.

While he doesn't specialize in takedowns the way other Dagestani stars like Khabib Nurmagomedov and Islam Makhachev do, he does excel in that department, which also happens to be an area the former kickboxer Pereira has struggled in the past.

Long before he entered the cage at UFC 313, it was clear he had the right skillset to beat Pereira—if he could avoid the Brazilian's staggering knockout power.

Interestingly, however, it wasn't wrestling that won Ankalaev the light heavyweight title on Saturday night. The Russian failed on all 12 takedowns he attempted in the fight, which is a testament to the strides Pereira has made as a grappler.

Instead, what won Ankalaev the fight was effectively mixing the martial arts.

Though round one probably went to Pereira, the Russian challenger came alive in round two, surprising the champion with his underrated striking, and wobbling him badly in the final seconds of the frame.

Pereira bounced back slightly in round three, but began to look gun shy, presumably because he was simultaneously worried about his challenger's much-discussed takedowns, and suddenly, his striking too.

Unfortunately for Pereira, Ankalaev became even more unpredictable in round four, abandoning the striking—despite the success he was having on the feet—to pursue takedowns and tie his opponent up in the clinch against the cage. That strategy earned him several minutes of control time—and another round in the bank.

By the time the fifth round began, it was still a close fight that could have been swayed by one decisive moment—and Pereira nearly pulled such a moment off, stinging his challenger with a head kick. However, it was also abundantly clear that the champion had become worried about a wide range of threats—both takedowns and strikes—which left him hesitant to pull the trigger, and ultimately, caused the victory to slip through his fingers.

"I’m really happy I won," a beaming Ankalaev said in his post-fight interview with commentator Joe Rogan.

“The plan was to pressure, pressure, pressure," he added, confirming that his game plan was to keep the champion on the back foot with takedown attempts and power shots. "Everyone who fights him always counters. 

“My plan worked."

The loss changed everything for Pereira. Heading into the fight, he was widely considered the most fearsome fighter in MMA—even if he hadn't quite topped the top of the UFC's pound-for-pound rankings. While there is no question that he still has the power and striking prowess to beat anybody standing across from him, the aura he entered the Octagon with has shattered after he was comprehensively outfought by a more well-rounded mixed martial artist.

His loss was also a massive blow for the UFC—and one could say you could see some disappointment on CEO Dana White's face as the verdict was announced. After his thrilling 2024 run, Pereira was one of the promotion's biggest and most reliable stars and is a cooler commodity now that the belt is no longer his.

That's not to say the former champ can't correct his course. Given his previous dominance and the competitive nature of his loss to Ankalaev, a rematch is certainly possible—likely, even.

He has also previously hinted at a move up to heavyweight, where fresh matchups and possibly a third MMA title could await.

If his post-fight interview with Rogan was any indication, however, he definitely needs some time to think his next move over.

“I’m going to keep training," the soft-spoken knockout artist said. "I feel good."

Whatever the future holds, he is going to have to move mountains to recreate the aura that he entered the Octagon with at UFC 313.

Of course, if there's anybody that can pull it off, it's "Poatan"—a man who has reached the pinnacle of two different combat sports and has already created a legacy so impressive that no single loss could tarnish it.