Alex Pereira lost more than just a championship belt at UFC 313.
“Poatan” watched his aura of invincibility diminish in Saturday’s main event. He was effectively neutralized for a full five rounds by Magomed Ankalaev’s strategic approach. The judges’ decision awarded Ankalaev a unanimous victory, making him the new champion and causing Pereira to descend in the Pound-for-Pound rankings.
Ankalaev, undefeated in his last 14 fights with a single loss in his debut back in 2018, now enters the rankings at No. 9, placing him just ahead of Pereira at No. 10. The former two-division champion, who previously seemed to be a contender for the No. 1 spot after a strong 2024, has now dropped eight positions from No. 2. Pereira even received a No. 1 vote from one of the panel members in the past, but following UFC 313, Islam Makhachev now holds the undisputed top spot in the Pound-for-Pound rankings.
This outcome naturally provokes several questions: Is Ankalaev’s ranking too high or too low? Is dropping Pereira to No. 10 too severe a consequence? Considering some argue Pereira won the fight, is any drop justified, or is it a fair reflection of his underwhelming performance?
Fortunately for Pereira, he has numerous potential paths to regain a top 5 ranking. He could move up to heavyweight and challenge Jon Jones or Tom Aspinall. An immediate rematch with Ankalaev is also an option. And should he defeat Ankalaev, he could still move up in weight or defend his title against middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis in a high-profile superfight.
Perhaps some of his mystique remains.
Recent results for ranked fighters (previous ranking shown): Magomed Ankalaev def. No. 2 Alex Pereira
Upcoming bouts featuring ranked fighters: No. 5 Belal Muhammad vs. Jack Della Maddalena (UFC 315, May 10), No. 12 Leon Edwards vs. Sean Brady (UFC London, March 22), No. 13 (tied) Alexander Volkanovski vs. Diego Lopes (UFC 314, April 12)
Fighters also receiving votes (number of ballot appearances shown): Francis Ngannou (3), Patricio Pitbull (2), Jiri Prochazka (2), Sean Strickland (2), Usman Nurmagomedov (1)
Falling out of the rankings (previous ranking shown): No. 20 Francis Ngannou
Lastly, a reminder about the ranking guidelines:
The concept of pound-for-pound rankings is inherently subjective. Debating whether Sean Strickland should be ranked above Charles Oliveira, for example, has no definitive answer. In essence, it’s not meant to be taken too seriously.
Thoughts? Questions? Concerns? Share your opinions in the comments section.
