Magomed Ankalaev scored a stunning upset with a unanimous decision over Alex Pereira to win the undisputed light heavyweight belt at UFC 313 in Las Vegas.
All three judges scored for Ankalaev (21-1-1), who was the busier and cleaner striker throughout, staggering Pereira with stiff jabs and accurate punches.
“I knew it would be a war,” said Pereira (12-3-0), who was putting his belt on the line for the fourth time on Saturday night. “Every fight of mine is a war.”
“He put on some pressure, I felt some of his strikes, but putting me up against the cage he didn’t really do anything.
“We followed our strategy, but giving him the win with a game plan like that, it kind of incentivises people to [just hold you against the fence]. I’m gonna take a few days off then get back to training.”
Pereira (12-2), who turns 38 on July 7, spoke of fighting heavyweight boxing champion Oleksandr Usyk in midweek but showed precious little in the way of boxing skills in this defeat.
Ankalaev, who won 49-46, 48-47, 48-47 on the judges’ scorecards, said: “I can’t even put it into words, it’s been such a long way, and here’s my dream: it’s on my waist.
“I don’t think anything surprised me. I think I could have done a better job in the fight, but something just wasn’t working out.
“The plan was to pressure, pressure, pressure. Everyone who fights against him always counters, but my job was to fight as number one.”
In the co-main event, the No 3 ranked lightweight and fan favourite Justin Gaethje (27-5-0) earned a unanimous decision over No 11 Rafael Fiziev (12-4-0).
Gaethje was scheduled to fight Dan Hooker, who pulled out because of a hand injury. Gatheje dropped Fiziev with a stiff right uppercut in the second round.
Lightweight Ignacio Bahamondes (17-5-0) earned a first-round win when he made Jalin Turner (14-9-0) tap out after administering a triangle choke. Turner left the cage and waited for Bahamondes to finish his interview, intending to return to the cage to leave his gloves and signify his retirement. Security would not let him return, however.
No 5 strawweight contender Amanda Lemos improved to 15-4-1 with a unanimous decision over seventh-ranked Iasmin Lucindo (17-6-0).
Mauricio Ruffy (12-1-0) delivered a spinning heel kick with his right foot to the temple of King Green (32-17-1) to score a vicious knockout just 2:07 into the first round.
Just after Ruffy’s knockout kick and before the women’s bout, a tribute video for Robbie Lawler played in honour of the former welterweight champion.
Watching cageside, an emotional Lawler received a standing ovation as it was announced he would be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame as a member of the Class of 2025. The ceremony will take place as part of the 13th Annual UFC International Fight Week on June 26.
“Robbie was an absolute killer, and I have a ton of respect for his toughness and his fighting style, which helped grow the sport of MMA and UFC by attracting a lot of new fans,” UFC president and CEO Dana White said in a statement.
