The UFC 313 main event had the fight fans excited for a riveting matchup. With Magomed Ankalaev and Alex Pereira going up against each other, everybody expected a banger of a fight. However, once the fight got underway, the reality turned out to be pretty different. Both Pereira and Ankalaev looked quite timid in their approach. Pereira surprisingly kept himself on the backfoot instead of getting forward and striking. Ankalaev, too, had several failed takedown attempts that further added to the lacklusterness of the match. However, analyzing the bout, Cory Sandhagen recently heaped praises on Magomed Ankalaev.
Sandhagen recently appeared in an interview with Bodog Canada’s James Lynch. Talking about the bout, Sandhagen stated that Pereira had his moments in the game. But Ankalaev was surely the better fighter. Sandhagen also praised Ankalaev for not resorting to wrestling right away.
“Yeah, I thought Ankalaev looked amazing, man. He looked pretty in control almost the entire fight. Pereira had his moments, and he won, I think, a couple of the rounds for sure. But, I mean, Ankalaev kind of showed it in the fourth, that if he wanted to and needed to, he could just pin Pereira against the fence and win like that. But Ankalaev showed that he’s willing to win in more exciting ways, which I think is cool,” Sandhagen stated.
"I haven't had my crack at him yet"@CorySandhagenx & @LynchOnSports discuss his upcoming bout with Deiveson Figueiredo, Merab vs O'Malley 2, the result of Ankalaev vs Pereira & more in this FULL exclusive interview! ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/Cyt4Us1CqW
— Bodog (@BodogCA) March 15, 2025
Meanwhile, taking a closer look at the game, Israel Adesanya was extremely furious with the judges’ decision.
Israel Adesanya Gets Furious On Magomed Ankalaev’s Decision
Israel Adesanya and Alex Pereira have shared some intriguing rivalry. From their GLORY Kickboxing days to the UFC, the duo has been running it down repeatedly. However, despite all their fights, both ‘Izzy’ and ‘Poatan’ have significant mutual respect for each other.
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Watching the UFC 313 main event, Adesanya could not believe when the judges scored the bout in favor of Magomed Ankalaev.
“49-46, what was that?… He didn’t really do much with the holding. What a stupid game we play,” said ‘Izzy.
Israel Adesanya thought Alex Pereira beat Magomed Ankalaev:
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) March 9, 2025
“49-46, what was that?… He didn’t really do much with the holding.
What a stupid game we play.”
🎥 @stylebender #UFC #MMApic.twitter.com/MBcw4onNzO
Thus, with controversies surrounding the UFC light heavyweight championship bout, it remains to be seen how things pan out in the rematch.
Also Read: Alex Pereira Breaks His Silence After Controversial Loss At UFC 314: ‘Had Their Doubts’
