It’s finally happening! Magomed Ankalaev is getting his shot at Alex Pereira for the light heavyweight title at UFC 313. The fight, scheduled for March 8, 2025 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, will also see Justin Gaethje take on Dan Hooker in the co-main event.
Pereira, who was ringside at UFC 311 on Saturday night, was seen vibing during the announcement. He didn’t waste any time sending a direct message to Ankalaev.
See you soon Ankalaev
— Alex “Poatan” Pereira (@AlexPereiraUFC) January 19, 2025
This announcement comes at a time when rumors had been swirling about ‘Poatan‘ potentially avoiding a fight with a wrestling-dominant fighter like Ankalaev. Fans had speculated that ‘Poatan’ was hesitant to face Ankalaev’s relentless grappling and pressure. But with his tweet and reaction in public, Pereira has shut down all that chatter.
This fight has been a long time due. Ankalaev has been the #1 contender for almost a year but has had to contend with playing second fiddle as Pereira marched on to two title defenses on short notice in 2024. So when the fight was finally confirmed on Saturday night, even fans sighed in relief.
One fan encapsulated what a lot of people in the MMA community had been thinking all these months and said, “Finally, Ankalaev with his chance for ufc gold”.
Finally, Ankalaev with his chance for ufc gold.
— CT Patriot (@CTPatriot08) January 19, 2025
They might announce Jon Jones vs Tom Aspinall during this card
The cards are in play
— centse (@centse_) January 19, 2025
While this is wishful thinking at best, it’s not without reason. Pereira is determined to prove that he can handle himself against a talented grappler before he can claim a fight against undisputed heavyweight champion Jon Jones.
The heavyweight champion has proposed the match himself too. But UFC bossman Dana White has made it crystal clear that he would not be in favor of the fight due to Jones’ grappling prowess.
Whether this is a precursor to the Jones fight or not, Ankalaev vs Pereira is a must-watch main event. It could act as the perfect lead up to a potential dog fight between Gaethje and Hooker.
Gaethje makes a comeback
Gaethje has not been seen inside an octagon since losing to Max Holloway at UFC 300 while defending the BMF title. But it seems ‘your favorite fighter’s favorite fighter’ has had enough rest.
A comeback fight against Hooker is an extreme way to send that message across as well. Both Hooker and Gaethje love a scrap and are expected to just go at it from the start.
Gaethje was closing in on a title fight before losing to Holloway. So he will be hoping to put on a dominant show to ensure he’s not forgotten in the minds of fans, promoters and decision-makers like Dana White.
On the flip side, Hooker has been on a roll in the lightweight division, riding on a 3-fight winning streak. The Kiwi fighter is aiming to crack the top 5 rankings with a victory over Gaethje, which would undoubtedly send a strong message to the rest of the division.
