Lastly booked to share the Octagon, Russian standout, Magomed Ankalaev has opened as a notable betting favourite to grab the undisputed gentle heavyweight crown from the incumbent gold holder, Alex Pereira — with the duo now slated to settle their fierce rivalry in the primary occasion of UFC 313 on March 8. in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Ankalaev, who retains the primary rank at 205lbs, has been sidelined since he returned on the primary card of UFC 308 again in October, touchdown a one-sided — albeit forgettable unanimous determination win over fellow European contender, Aleksandar Rakic.
As for Pereira, the previous two-weight champion headlined UFC 307 simply weeks earlier in his return to Salt Lake Metropolis, efficiently defending the sunshine heavyweight crown for the third time that 12 months alone.
Alex Pereira opens as betting underdog to beat Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 313
Taking out Khalil Rountree with a fourth spherical bloody knockout on the Octagon fence, Alex Pereira has notably opened as a sizeable +105 betting underdog to retain his crown in opposition to Magomed Ankalaev — who’s presently boasting opening favourite odds of -115 — as followers and punters look to safe their finest betting odds earlier than a large UFC 313 card in two month’s time.
Within the midst of a shocking five-fight profitable spree since his gentle heavyweight transfer in November of 2023, Sao Paulo knockout kingpin, Pereira rounded out a stellar marketing campaign contained in the Octagon final annum with a trio of back-to-back-to-back knockout wins over Jamahal Hill, Jiri Prochazka, and the above-mentioned Syndicate MMA staple, Rountree.
And receiving a fierce warning from Ankalaev within the moments following their reserving atop March’s large UFC 313 card in ‘Sin City’ — Pereira was instructed he had signed his personal “death certificate” by inking a bout settlement to face off with him with gold on the road.
“You just sign your death certificate I’m gonna punish you for ducking me and I’m gonna make you look like a guy work in a tire shop not professional fighter,” Magomed Ankalaev posted on his official social media account over the course of the weekend.
Attending UFC 311 over the course of final weekend besides, Pereira watched on as each former-foes, Prochazka and Hill went to warfare over the course of three rounds, with the previous ultimately stopping the latter with a brutal barrage within the last spherical of their potential title-eliminator.
And failing to rule out a possible trilogy bout with the Czech Republic favourite — regardless of holding a pair of title combat knockout wins over him, Pereira insisted that he should first maintain enterprise with Ankalaev in March earlier than laying out plans for his future.
“I’m ready to fight anybody, it doesn’t matter who it is – right now, it’s Ankalaev’s time and I’m going to fight Ankalaev but after this fight, if everything goes good, we’re going to give Jiri this opportunity,” Alex Pereira instructed backstage after UFC 311 final weekend.
Himself competing for vacant gentle heavyweight gold on the finish of 2022, Ankalaev took on common-foe, Jan Blachowicz in a short-notice matchup, forcing a cut up judging draw determination within the pair’s 5 spherical back-and-forth, and has since racked up wins over Johnny Walker, and the above-mentioned Austrian challenger, Rakic.
