Former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman didn’t necessarily like what he saw from now-former light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira at UFC 313 but gave loads of praise to Magomed Ankalaev for his performance.
Within the major event of UFC 313, Ankalaev (21-1-1 MMA, 12-1-1 UFC) became the primary latest UFC champion crowned in 2025 by outworking Alex Pereira in a unanimous decision win at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Usman, who knows a thing or two about wrestling and UFC titles, found Ankalaev’s performance to be inspiring, but wants everyone to drop the wrestler label when describing the brand new 205-pound champion.
“Ankalaev don’t really wrestle, so let’s just stop classifying him as a Dagestani wrestler,” Usman said on “Pound 4 Pound with Kamaru & Henry.” “He’s not wrestling. Ankalaev placed on a masterpiece. He showed that he’s not afraid of anyone. He’s got the striking, he’s got the footwork, and man, fight I.Q.”
Many believed that Ankalaev’s path to victory was through a grinding wrestling approach. While he did hunt for takedowns throughout the fight, he was unsuccessful with each attempt. As a substitute, it was Ankalaev’s striking and forward pressure that carried the victory. Usman also found one other key piece to Pereira’s downfall.
“One key thing, Henry, that lots of people were missing, that didn’t really see, is the hand fighting,” Usman said. “Ankalaev dominated Alex Pereira’s front hand. He dominated it; he was touching it, he was pulling it down. Alex couldn’t get off. Alex landed possibly six jabs that I saw, good jabs – but he couldn’t. Ankalaev controlled that hand. He was moving it in, moving it out. He was fidgeting with it the entire time. Pereira just couldn’t get going.”
While giving Ankalaev loads of high marks for his performance, Usman did consider Pereira’s was also “flat.” Plenty expected Pereira to record one other knockout victory, but Ankalaev didn’t give “Poatan” that chance. Given his title reign of three defenses, Usman expects the UFC to run it back.
“I feel they do the rematch, after all,” Usman said. “It’s the largest fight they will do within the division because Pereira’s been through everybody else. They do the rematch, and just give Ankalaev a probability to essentially solidify himself because the champion there, and really now begin to carry that torch.
“I prefer it. I feel they do this before the yr is over. Congratulations to Magomed Ankalaev, because he did say he was going to go on the market and do it, and he definitely did.”
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