At UFC 320 in Las Vegas, Alex Pereira reclaimed the light heavyweight championship by delivering a title=”Ulberg Stuns Reyes with Explosive First-Round KO at … in Perth!”>technical knockout against Magomed Ankalaev.
Published On 5 Oct 2025
In a stunning upset at UFC 320, Alex Pereira secured a first-round technical knockout over the favored Magomed Ankalaev, reclaiming the undisputed light heavyweight title and avenging his previous loss to the Russian fighter seven months prior. The event took place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Within just 80 seconds, Pereira landed a powerful right hook that sent the 33-year-old champion to the canvas early in the fight. Following this, he unleashed a relentless barrage of punches and elbows, prompting the referee to halt the contest.
Before this bout, Ankalaev had maintained an undefeated streak in UFC competition, boasting 14 consecutive wins dating back to his debut at UFC Fight Night in March 2018. Despite being the overwhelming favorite-garnering 89% of bets on BetMGM-he was unable to withstand Pereira’s aggressive assault.
Previously, Ankalaev (20-2-1, 12-2-1 UFC) had bested Pereira (13-3, 10-2 UFC) at UFC 313 in March, a fight where Pereira admitted he was hampered by injury and performed at only 40% of his usual capacity.
This victory marks Pereira’s second reign as the UFC light heavyweight champion, revitalizing a division that had seen little excitement under Ankalaev’s reign. With Jiri Prochazka also securing a spectacular knockout win on the same card, the stage is set for a potential trilogy fight for the title between Pereira and Prochazka.
In the co-main event, Merab Dvalishvili successfully defended his bantamweight title by outpointing Cory Sandhagen in a unanimous decision after five rounds. The judges scored the fight 49-45, 49-45, and 49-46 in favor of Dvalishvili.
The evening’s excitement kicked off with a thrilling light heavyweight clash between Jiri Prochazka and Khalil Rountree Jr. Despite Rountree’s early dominance, landing several sharp combinations that visibly shook Prochazka, the Czech fighter rallied in the third round. With just two minutes remaining, Prochazka delivered a devastating combination that rendered Rountree unconscious, securing a knockout victory.
Rountree’s initial offensive onslaught took a toll on his stamina, which Prochazka capitalized on to execute his finishing sequence, highlighting the unpredictable nature of the division’s top contenders.
