- Alex Pereira defends his UFC title against Magomed Ankalaev on March 8 in Las Vegas.
- Pereira and Ankalaev are both on their respective winning streak.
- Pereira is the -115 betting favorite, and Ankalaev is the +105 betting underdog.
Alex Pereira will defend his UFC light heavyweight title on the line for the fourth time as he welcomes the challenge of No. 1-ranked Magomed Ankalaev on March 8 inside the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Because of the dominant first three defenses of his championship, Pereira heads into the match as the betting favorite with -115 UFC odds. Meanwhile, Ankalaev will be the betting underdog at BetMGM online sportsbook with +105 odds.
Alex Pereira vs. Magomed Ankalaev Odds
- Alex Pereira: -115
- Magomed Ankalaev: +105
Alex Pereira vs. Magomed Ankalaev: Prediction
I predict that Pereira will win via TKO/KO finish against Ankalev. The defending champion’s striking is just way ahead of the division right now, especially when he lands his signature atomic punches clean.
I’ve always been rooting against Pereira against superior grapplers like Ankalaev, but I won’t make the same mistake again this time. Pereira’s 70% takedown defense should be decent enough to stop Ankalev’s attempts to take the fight down the mat.
If the fight is contested on the feet, Pereira will piece up Ankalaev with his crisp and quick combinations. Furthermore, Pereira has some of the best leg kicks in the game today due to its power, precision, and unpredictability.
Ankalaev had some issues with leg kicks, as seen during his match with Jan Blachowicz, where he was almost limping from those strikes. If Pereira could punish Ankalaev with those kicks, it would be a long night for him.
Add to this the fact that Pereira has been sharpening his striking skills by sparring with several professional boxers and continuously improving his grappling with Glover Teixeira, which are all recipes for another successful defense of his UFC belt.
Alex Pereira Recent Fight Results
Pereira was a former two-division GLORY kickboxing world champion before signing with the UFC in 2021. Since his octagon debut, he won nine fights in his 10 appearances under the promotion and became a two-division UFC champion.
His only loss was courtesy of Israel Adesanya during their rematch at UFC 287 in April 2023. “Poatan” is undefeated in the light heavyweight division and has successfully defended the belt thrice.
Magomed Ankalaev Recent Fight Results
Ankalaev was a former WFCA champion when he earned a roster spot in the UFC in 2018. He was rudely welcomed by Paul Craig in the promotion with a submission loss in his debut, but since then, he has never sustained a loss inside the octagon.
The Russian powerhouse rode an 11-fight win streak and almost became a champion in December 2022 when he fought Blachowicz for the 205-pound belt. However, their match ended in a draw. Ankalaev is fresh off a unanimous decision win over Aleksandar Rakic in October at UFC 308.
Alex Pereira vs. Magomed Ankalaev: Tale of the Tape
| Alex Pereira | Magomed Ankalaev | |
|---|---|---|
| Age | 37 | 32 |
| Height | 6’4” | 6’3” |
| Reach | 79 inches | 75 inches |
| Leg Reach | 44 inches | 46 inches |
| Record | 12-2 | 20-1-1 |
| Fighting Style | Kickboxing | MMA |
| Finishing Rate | 83% | 55% |
Alex Pereira vs. Magomed Ankalaev Fight Card
- Alex Pereira vs. Magomed Ankalaev, UFC Light Heavyweight title fight
- Justin Gaethje vs. Rafael Fiziev, lightweight fight
- Jalin Turner vs. Ignacio Bahamondes, lightweight fight
- Amanda Lemos vs. Iasmin Lucindo, women’s strawweight fight
- King Green vs. Mauricio Ruffy, lightweight fight
- Curtis Blaydes vs. Rizvan Kuniev, heavyweight fight
- Joshua Van vs. Rei Tsuruya, flyweight fight
- Brunno Ferreira vs. Armen Petrosyan, middleweight fight
- Alex Morono vs. Carloes Leal, welterweight fight
- Mairon Santos vs. Francis Marshall, featherweight fight
- Djorden Santos vs. Ozzy Diaz, middleweight fight
