Alex Pereira stops Magomed Ankalaev in 80 seconds at UFC 320 in Las Vegas

Alex Pereira said helium was not himself successful March, erstwhile helium mislaid his UFC airy heavyweight loop to Magomed Ankalaev by decision. On Saturday astatine UFC 320 successful Las Vegas, helium showed america what helium looks similar astatine afloat strength. Pereira (14-3) stormed out, floored Ankalaev (21-2-1), and finished with crushed strikes conscionable 1:20 into Round 1 to retake the 205-pound crown. He outlanded Ankalaev 28–4 successful full strikes, handed him the archetypal knockout nonaccomplishment of his career, and snapped a 14-fight unbeaten run. It was the fastest decorativeness of Pereira’s MMA vocation and the second-quickest airy heavyweight rubric combat successful UFC history, trailing Vitor Belfort’s 49-second triumph implicit Randy Couture successful 2004.

There was other sting successful the effect aft the level show 7 months ago. “Vengeance is ne'er a bully thing; it’s benignant of a poison sometimes,” Pereira said done an interpreter. “However, I told everyone I was not successful a bully information past time. Everyone saw that tonight.”

Health issues, past a statement

Pereira’s squad said helium fought astatine UFC 313 with a fractured tibia and had been connected antibiotics earlier the bout, estimating helium was astatine “40 percent.” He looked person to 100 percent this time, walking Ankalaev down, hurting him aboriginal with a close manus to the chin, and sealing it with elbows from apical position. Afterward, helium repeated the taunt helium utilized pursuing his UFC 300 knockout of Jamahal Hill, underscoring a heated buildup that included accusations astir dodging during combat week. He besides paused for a infinitesimal of soundlessness for Jon Jones and his household aft the decease of Jones’s member Arthur, 39.

Pereira became the 3rd two-time UFC airy heavyweight champion, joining Couture and Jones. Options astatine 205 see erstwhile champion Jiří Procházka, who stopped Khalil Rountree Jr. connected the aforesaid card, and Carlos Ulberg, caller disconnected a triumph implicit Dominick Reyes. A determination to heavyweight is connected the array arsenic well, perchance against Jones oregon the Aspinall–Gane victor astatine UFC 321 successful Abu Dhabi. UFC CEO Dana White sounded cautious, noting the leap from middleweight to heavyweight is “a large jump,” portion adding determination are inactive compelling fights astatine 205.