On March 8, 2025, the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas served as a host to UFC 313, an amazing night, a night that would see and display the light heavyweight division undergo a significant transformation. The UFC night had the main event feature a title bout between reigning champion Alex “Poatan” Pereira and the title challenger Magomed Ankalaev. The event did not only deliver a high-octane action but also led to various notable shifts in the UFC rankings after the results, reflecting the dynamic nature of mixed martial arts. UFC still continues to prove how the dynamics and the table can change much rapidly with just a night changing the hierarchy completely.
Alex Pereira vs Magomed Ankalaev
Main Event: Pereira vs. Ankalaev
The spotlight of UFC 313 was stuck completely on the light heavyweight championship clash between Alex Pereira and Magomed Ankalaev. Pereira who is known for his striking prowess and continuous reign as the middleweight champion had to face Ankalaev, a fighter who has a reputation for his tactical precision and resilience.
From the start of the game, Ankalaev continued to showcase a strategic approach, effectively neutralizing Pereira’s striking advantage. Pereira has always been praised for his striking and continues to be, but Ankalaev’s counter was proven superior this time around. Over five rounds, Ankalaev’s game plan proved to be flawless and unfolded with calculated efficiency, leading to a unanimous decision victory over Pereira with scores of 49–46, 48–47, and 48–47. This win did not just crown Ankalaev as the new UFC light heavyweight champion but this also marked a pivotal moment in his career as he is going to defend the title moving forward.
Gaethje vs. Fiziev
Co-Main Event: Gaethje vs. Fiziev
The night’s co-main event featured a lightweight bout between Justin Gaethje and Rafael Fiziev. Both fighters are experienced and are renowned for their striking abilities, so the match lived up to its expectations. Over three rounds, Gaethje and Fiziev kept on exchanging a barrage of strikes, further showcasing their unbreakable resilience and skill. Gaethje’s experience and his tactical adjustments helped him earn a unanimous decision victory. The victory was secured with all three judges scoring the bout 29–28 in Gaethje’s favor. Their performance was heavily honored along with the “Fight of the Night” bonus, reflecting how intense the match was and entertainment value provided by the bout.
Main Card Highlights
- Ignacio Bahamondes vs. Jalin Turner: This lightweight showdown was where Bahamondes secured a first-round submission victory against Turner via triangle choke at 2:29. Such impressive performance earned him a “Performance of the Night” bonus. Notably, Jalin Turner also announced his retirement from professional MMA following this bout, marking this fight the end of his fighting career.
- Amanda Lemos vs. Iasmin Lucindo: While in the women’s strawweight division, Lemos competed and emerged victorious with a unanimous decision against Lucindo, with all judges scoring the fight 29–28. The bout showcased tactical exchanges and highlighted Lemos’s ability to adapt under pressure.
- Maurício Ruffy vs. Bobby Green: Ruffy delivered a highlight-reel knockout against Green, finishing him with a spinning wheel kick within the first round at 2:07. This spectacular finish also helped Ruffy earn a “Performance of the Night” bonus, highlighting his capability to strike.
Preliminary Card Overview
The preliminary bouts also offered a mix of many emerging talents and also seasoned fighters:
Other UFC fights
- Joshua Van vs. Rei Tsuruya: Van secured a unanimous decision victory against Rei Tsurya in the flyweight division, where all the judges scored the bout 30–27 in his favor.
- Brunno Ferreira vs. Armen Petrosyan: Ferreira achieved a submission win against Petrosyan via triangle armbar during the second round at 4:27, demonstrating his grappling proficiency.
- Carlos Leal vs. Alex Morono: Leal won via first-round TKO victory due to punches at 4:16 in the welterweight division, showing his proficiency in striking.
- Mairon Santos vs. Francis Marshall: In the featherweight bout, Santos won via split decision where the scores were 27–30, 29–28, and 29–28, this highlighted how close the game actually was.
- Ozzy Diaz vs. Djorden Ribeiro dos Santos: Diaz secured a unanimous decision victory in the middleweight division against Santos, where all the judges scored the bout 29–28 in his favor.
Post-Event Ranking Shifts
The outcomes of UFC 313 led to significant changes in the UFC rankings, the notable ranking shifts are:
- Magomed Ankalaev: Following his main event championship victory, Ankalaev debuted at an impressive sixth spot in the men’s pound-for-pound rankings, this reflects his progress in the sport.
- Alex Pereira: The former defending champion experienced a huge drop in his ranking, falling five places where he landed in the eighth position in the pound-for-pound rankings, this indicated the devastating impact of his title loss.
- Ilia Topuria and Merab Dvalishvili: Both fighters here moved up in the rankings, with Topuria reaching the third spot and Dvalishvili climbing to fourth, displaying their recent performance’s recognition through their ranking.
- Ignacio Bahamondes: Continuing his impressive submission victory, Bahamondes successfully entered the top 15 of the lightweight rankings for the first time, which marked a big milestone in his career in UFC.
Conclusion
UFC 313 will always be remembered as an important night of strategic mastery, unexpected outcomes, and dynamic shifts within the rankings of the players and the entire organization. Magomed Ankalaev’s ascent to the light heavyweight throne and the ripple effects across multiple divisions define the ever-evolving landscape of mixed martial arts, especially UFC. As fighters keep rising and rankings fluctuate, fans are constantly reminded of the sport’s unpredictability and the fighter’s relentless pursuit of excellence that defines the UFC.
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