UFC 313 Fight Prediction - Alex Pereira vs. Magomed Ankalaev

Probably the best fighter on the UFC’s roster, Alex Pereira, is getting ready to defend his Light Heavyweight belt at UFC 313. Opposite him will stand Magomed Ankalaev, a fighter that many would say is Alex’s biggest threat in the division. This fight has been long in the making, and we will finally have a chance to see if Pereira can manage when he is put down in dark waters.

On the card as well, we have Justin Gaethje, who is going up against Rafael Fiziev in the co-main event. Both fighters know how to deliver a show, and we saw some of it in their first fight. UFC 313 goes down in Las Vegas, Nevada, in UFC’s home state, making it a long-awaited classic.

Main Fight: Alex Pereira vs. Magomed Ankalaev

After relinquishing his middleweight crown to Israel Adesanya, Alex Pereira went on a tear to first capture the Light Heavyweight strap and then defend it three times already. Poatan has become one of the most popular fighters, credit to his striking abilities and the potential to put everyone to sleep. He did so in his last four fights, where he even managed to KO Jiri Prochazka twice.

But up against him will be a different beast in Magomed Ankalaev. The Russian brawler is on a 13-fight win streak on his own. However, there were those two incidents with a draw against Jan Blachowicz and a no-contest versus Johnny Walker that put a mark on his record. Nevertheless, Ankalaev went back and first knocked out Johnny Walker in a rematch, and then would win a decision against Aleksandar Rakic, putting him in prime contention for the title.

The fight between Pereira and Ankalaev was long in the making. Many suspected of Poaton ducking Magomed and picking an easier opponent in Khalil Rountree in his last title defense. But we can’t really blame the UFC for not wanting to make this fight due to Magomed’s fighting style. He does have 10 KO/TKO’s on his record, but he does not produce sparks like others do and has a way of slowing the fight down and taking things to the cage.

This is what many think is where Ankalaev has an advantage. He is a very strong fighter, perhaps the strongest one that Pereira has faced. But it is hard to withstand Pereira’s heavy attacks, particularly if he gets into his rhythm. He has relentless leg kicks and a merciless standup game that I think Ankalaev will not be able to handle. I give credit to Magomed’s chin, and I think he will not be put to sleep like the others have, but give the advantage to Pereira to win via decision victory.

Co-Main: Justin Gaethje vs. Ravael Fiziev

The Human Higlgiht Reel taht is Justin Gaethje was supposed to fight Dan Hooker. But the New Zealand native had to back down due to a sudden injury. The UFC did a good job to replace the injured Hooker as they scrambled quickly and got Fiziev to step in on short notice. Rafael has been out of action ever since his knee injury against Mateusz Gamrot in September 2023. Before that, he was defeated by Gaethje via decision in their first fight, making this booking a stellar time for Fiziev to get revenge.

There’s no need to get too philosophical with Gaethje’s style. His coaching staff may have a plan for him before he enters the octagon. But once he is inside, he forgets all about it and just starts brawling and mauling his opponents. This has earned him a lot of post-fight bonuses, but in his last fight, it didn’t translate to success. He was KOed for the first time versus Max Holloway in the fight for the BMF belt, showing us that Gaethje is still human after all.

On the other hand, Rafael Fiziev has been out for a long time. Coming in on short notice against a dangerous fighter like Gaethje is not what many are willing to do. Yet, Rafael decided that jumping back directly into the fire is what will get his career back on track. He is on a two-fight losing streak, but he is still valued as a contender in the Lightweight division.

This one could go either way. But I still think that having more time to prepare is Gaethje’s biggest advantage. Fiziev will most likely drop in the latter rounds, giving Justin room to either put him away or win a decision victory.

UFC 313 Predictions: Rest of the Card

UFC 313’s main fight card is stacked with fights. One of them will be fought in the Lightweight division between Jalin Turner and Ignacio Bahamondes. This one is a striker’s delight and does have fight-of-the-night implications written all over it. Turner is touted as a potential new prospect in the division and has a chance to put his name into the title mix if he can produce an impressive finish.

In the Women’s Straweigth division, the former title contender Amanda Lemos will go up against the surging contender taht is Iasmin Lucindo. Iasmin is on a four-fight win streak and has shown signs of greatness in her recent fights. She should be the one to watch, not only in this matchup but perhaps as the future of the division.

Finally, the night starts with King Green, who is never in a boring fight, going up against Mauricio Ruffy. Green is a veteran of the sport, and at 38 years of age, he is still a dangerous fighter to go up against. However, Ruffy is an interesting prospect. This fight might be his time to shine, as he could be a great addition to the contenders in the Lightweight division.

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