Alex Pereira erased the memory of his March defeat in the most emphatic way possible Saturday night, storming forward to reclaim the UFC light heavyweight championship with a devastating first-round knockout of Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 320.

The Brazilian striker made it abundantly clear from the opening seconds that this would not be a repeat of their first encounter. Where Pereira previously circled and measured distance, he now pressed forward relentlessly, backing Ankalaev to the cage and unleashing the aggression that made him a two-division champion.

ALEX PEREIRA IS CHAMPION AGAIN 😤👑

Poatan finishes Ankalaev in Round 1 at #UFC320 🔥 pic.twitter.com/KLJqFCQQFz

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) October 4, 2025

"I knew I had to take the fight to him this time," Pereira said through his translator after reclaiming the belt. "No more circling, no more waiting. I came to fight."

The Tactical Shift

The strategic adjustment proved devastating. Pereira landed a crushing inside leg kick early, immediately establishing his intent to walk through Ankalaev rather than move away from him. When the Dagestani wrestler attempted to counter with striking of his own, Pereira connected with a massive right hand that wobbled the champion.

Sensing the opportunity, Ankalaev desperately shot for a takedown—his wrestling pedigree crying out for an escape route from the striking chaos. But Pereira sprawled effectively, and the momentum carried both fighters to the canvas with "Poatan" landing in top position.

What happened next will be replayed in highlight reels for years.

The Finish

From top position, Pereira unleashed a barrage of ground strikes that left Ankalaev defenseless. The finish came via the newly legal 12-to-6 elbow strikes—downward blows that had been banned for nearly two decades before the UFC lifted the restriction earlier this year.

The elbows rained down with sledgehammer force, each one thudding into Ankalaev with sickening impact. Referee Marc Goddard had seen enough, diving in to wave off the contest at just 2:47 of the opening round.

Ankalaev, who had outpointed Pereira over five rounds to capture the title in March, never found his rhythm. The gameplan that worked beautifully in their first meeting—using movement and wrestling threats to neutralize Pereira's power—crumbled under the Brazilian's relentless forward pressure.

Championship Implications

The victory marks Pereira's second stint as light heavyweight champion and cements his legacy as one of the most dangerous finishers in UFC history. At 37 years old, the former kickboxing champion has now captured world titles at both middleweight and light heavyweight, with a professional MMA record that includes twelve victories against just three defeats.

For Ankalaev, the loss represents a crushing setback. The Dagestani fighter had appeared poised to establish himself as the division's dominant force after comprehensively outpointing Pereira in their first meeting. Instead, he joins the growing list of fighters who discovered that giving Pereira a rematch might be the most dangerous decision in mixed martial arts.

"This is my division," Pereira declared, the championship belt strapped around his waist once again. "Anyone who wants this can come try to take it."

Already, former champion Jiri Prochazka—fresh off a third-round knockout of Khalil Rountree Jr. earlier in the evening—locked eyes with Pereira from his cageside seat. The Czech striker's icy stare at the newly crowned champion suggested the light heavyweight division's next chapter may already be written.

The Co-Main Event: Dvalishvili Defends

Earlier in the evening, Merab Dvalishvili successfully defended his UFC bantamweight championship with a dominant unanimous decision victory over Cory Sandhagen. "The Machine" lived up to his nickname, scoring an incredible 20 takedowns across five rounds while weathering Sandhagen's dangerous striking.

The judges scored the bout 48-46, 48-46, and 48-47, all in favor of the Georgian champion who extended his winning streak to fourteen consecutive victories. Dvalishvili improved to 3-0 in 2025 and firmly established himself as a Fighter of the Year frontrunner.

In his post-fight interview, an exuberant Dvalishvili called for one more fight before year's end, potentially in December—a timeline that would give him four championship performances in a single calendar year.

But Saturday night belonged to Pereira. In refusing to repeat the tactical approach that cost him the belt seven months ago, "Poatan" authored one of the most impressive comeback victories in recent UFC history. The light heavyweight division has its champion back, and he's never looked more dangerous.