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 plenty of praise to Magomed Ankalaev for his performance.
In the main event of UFC 313, Ankalaev (21-1-1 MMA, 12-1-1 UFC) became the first new 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 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 put 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. Instead, it was Ankalaev’s striking and forward pressure that carried the victory. Usman also found another key piece to Pereira’s downfall.
“One key thing, Henry, that a lot 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 maybe 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 playing with it the whole time. Pereira just couldn’t get going.”
While giving Ankalaev plenty of high marks for his performance, Usman did believe Pereira’s was also “flat.” Plenty expected Pereira to record another knockout victory, but Ankalaev didn’t give “Poatan” that opportunity. Given his title reign of three defenses, Usman expects the UFC to run it back.
“I think they do the rematch, of course,” Usman said. “It’s the biggest fight they can do in the division because Pereira’s been through everybody else. They do the rematch, and just give Ankalaev a chance to really solidify himself as the champion there, and really now start to carry that torch.
“I like it. I think they do that before the year is over. Congratulations to Magomed Ankalaev, because he did say he was going to go out there and do it, and he definitely did.”
