🔗 Share this article

The Brazilian fighter required just 82 seconds to reclaim the light heavyweight crown after stopping Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 320.

The victory came seven months after he suffered a unanimous points loss to the Dagestani competitor at their previous encounter.

Pereira, that had evidently learned from his loss in March, wasted no time by landing a huge right hand.

The audience in Las Vegas exploded as the dual-weight titleholder shook the his opponent with a clubbing right hand before the official ended the bout following several violent elbows to the head.

"Vengeance isn't a positive motive. I mentioned I wasn't in a good position in our first fight but nobody listened, tonight it was evident," the champion commented after his win.

"It didn't surprise me, I noticed in the first fight. I don't like to make excuses but I wasn't 100% that night."

The Russian fighter was aiming for his thirteenth victory consecutively but connected with only two of his seven scoring blows, while 25 of Pereira's 37 connected successfully.

After entering the UFC in 2021, Pereira has rapidly evolved into a major attraction, achieving a dual-weight titleholder in just seven bouts - an unprecedented pace.

Upon winning the 185-pound championship, he transitioned to light heavyweight and, following his title win, his three successful defenses in 2024 resulted in him being named the promotion's top competitor alongside Ilia Topuria.

The champion faced his biggest test in fighting his rival, with the opponent preventing the Brazilian from connecting with powerful shots in their first fight - but this wasn't an issue the second time around, with he connecting powerfully of his adversary's head early on.

The challenger had ended the champion's run of three title defences inside a year in the initial bout but the ex-titleholder now has a another loss on his record - and first since March 2018.

Currently tied at one win apiece, a third encounter could decide who takes the ultimate superiority for good.

The Champion 'Wants to Fight at Heavyweight' - White

Although he recaptured the 205-pound championship he lost in March, Pereira has eyes on transitioning another weight class to heavyweight, as stated by UFC chief Dana White.

Before the rematch with Ankalaev, the champion and his camp informed White of his desire to make the move to heavyweight. The UFC president stated at the post-fight news conference: "They say he wants to fight at heavyweight but I said to concentrate on tonight first. Opportunities remain here, but we'll consider."

"This guy has been an exceptional athlete for us. He fights when not at 100%, it doesn't matter to him. He wants to fight all challengers and move up to the heavyweight class. Many considerations to talk about following this event."

When asked what his concerns were on Pereira making the jump, the president responded: "He started as a 185-pound fighter - to jump up two weight classes in the UFC, it's not like moving up two divisions in the sweet science."

"I don't have reservations but he competes in a weight class where there are still so many fights."

'Machine' Dvalishvili Continues to Make Mark in UFC Annals

In the co-main event, The Georgian Merab Dvalishvili claimed a dominant judges' decision over the USA's Cory Sandhagen to defend his bantamweight world title.

This victory was the champion's 14th consecutive win - taking him up to third for most consecutive victories in organization history. Just Islam Makhachev and Kamaru Usman, on 15, and another legend with sixteen rank above.

The officials scored the bout 49-45 49-45 49-46 in support of the champion.

"I am a machine. I continuously improve. My training is intense. It seems I'm just beginning, I'm just starting and I continuously develop," said the champion after the bout.

The Georgian, 34 years old, spent the entirety of the fight on the front foot and consistently kept his opponent on the defensive.

Although Dvalishvili's confidence and impressive victory run, Sandhagen was not overawed and landed 23 of his 48 power shots in the opening round, but the tide turned two minutes into the second round when the Georgian connected powerfully with a flurry of strikes.

The American endured the attack but continued to be dominated, with the champion setting a fresh organizational mark for the most takedowns in a five-round bout with 20 on the path to winning.