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Magomed Ankalaev | Better Than Before
Light Heavyweight Champion Says He’ll Be Even Better In His Title Rematch With Alex Pereira At UFC 320
Magomed Ankalaev took a long and winding road to the top of the light heavyweight division, but despite reaching his chosen destination, his journey is far from complete.
Russia’s Ankalaev captured the light heavyweight title last time out with victory over Alex Pereira at UFC 313, and the pair will face off in a title rematch this weekend at UFC 320.
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Ankalaev’s road to the top was anything but smooth. His arrival as an undefeated prospect came with a fair degree of expectation, but his Octagon debut ended in a dramatic, last-second submission defeat to Paul Craig in London as he lost his first UFC fight, and lost his 0 in the process.
That moment could send a less mentally-strong competitor into a tailspin, but Ankalaev addressed his shortcomings, and came back even better.
“The second I signed the contract, back in 2014, the goal was to become the greatest, to be the best, to make sure to become a champion,” he told UFC.com.
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“But it was a really long road, and as you remember, there wasn't a fun entrance, it wasn't a good entrance into the UFC.
“But it’s OK. It’s something that we worked on, and we got better. And finally, step-by-step, I ended up getting all the way to where I wanted to get to all the way back in 2014.”
Ankalaev has gone unbeaten ever since that debut defeat, and while rematches with Ion Cutelaba and Johnny Walker, plus a controversial split draw verdict in his first title challenge, have extended his journey to the top, he’s remained steadfast in his belief that he’d eventually reach the mountaintop.
At UFC 313 in March, Ankalaev finally got there as he outworked Pereira over five rounds to capture the undisputed light heavyweight crown.
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“It was a magical feeling,” he said.
“It’s an incredible feeling when you are trying to reach that goal for such a long time, and you had it planned, and it wasn't an easy way to get there,” he explained.
“All of the time, all of the sacrifice, all of the blood, sweat and tears, to get all the way up there, and then you finally get it, you're satisfied for a while.
“But it also unlocks new goals, new dreams and new heights that you want to reach. So I'm still motivated and still have a lot of things to accomplish.”
Those goals lie on the other side of Saturday night, where Ankalaev will face the man he defeated to win the title in a championship rematch.
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Rematches are always fascinating contests, and immediate rematches are even more intriguing because neither fighter has a huge amount of time to implement significant changes.
But for Ankalaev, Saturday night’s rematch offers him the opportunity to compete fully prepared and at 100 percent.
"The (first) fight, obviously, was good. The (verdict) was on my side. It was enough for me to win,” he said.
“The preparation back then was not as good as for this time. I'm not going to make any excuses, but it wasn't the same. It was enough for me to win, so it was good in that respect. But now the preparation has been different. I feel a whole lot different, and I think it’s going to be a whole different fight, and we're going to show you what we can do when we’re fully prepared.”
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That additional prep, he said, will elevate his performance to another level above Pereira, who he plans to outclass in all facets of the game on Saturday night.
“I think the biggest difference is going to be the fact that I'm going to be able to dominate in all aspects of the fight,” he suggested.
Rise Of Magomed Ankalaev
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Rise Of Magomed Ankalaev
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"Whether it's stand-up or wrestling, I'm going to be able to show him what I wasn't able to do back then, and he's going to be very surprised. I have a lot of surprises for him in this one.”
It’s an exciting time for the light heavyweight division, with Carlos Ulberg knocking out Dominick Reyes last weekend in Perth, and former champ Jiří Procházka taking on former title challenger Khalil Rountree Jr on Saturday’s card. It means that Ankalaev won’t have to look far for his next challenger if he successfully retains his title on Saturday night.
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“It’s now starting to get way more interesting, right?” he grinned.
“There's new names, new contenders – new people are showing up. And obviously I don't want to look ahead of my opponent, I have what I have going on (this) Saturday. But you asked the question, so I’m gonna oblige.
Full Fight | Magomed Ankalaev vs Alex Pereira 1
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Full Fight | Magomed Ankalaev vs Alex Pereira 1
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“Ulberg is doing really good. He's on a good streak. He's an interesting character. So, we'll see what happens. Whatever the UFC wants to do, I’ll oblige.”
And while Ankalaev has worked hard to reach the top of the 205-pound class, his championship quest is far from over, as he revealed his ambitions of becoming a two-weight world champion before he lays down his gloves.
WATCH: Magomed Ankalaev's Playlist On UFC FIGHT PASS
“My goal is to defend my belt at least a couple more times here at light heavyweight, and then go up and become a heavyweight champion, as well,” he said.
“So, that's the goal, and then afterwards, once I achieve that, potentially, it's my time to rest.”
If he goes on to achieve those career goals, that rest will certainly be well earned.
UFC 320: Ankalaev vs Pereira 2 took place live from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on October 4, 2025. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC FIGHT PASS!
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