Alex Pereira def. Magomed Ankalaev (c) via first-round TKO (punches)

Alex Pereira reclaimed the UFC light heavyweight title in emphatic fashion on Saturday night, stopping Magomed Ankalaev just 80 seconds into the first round of their UFC 320 rematch. The Brazilian avenged his loss in March, when he dropped a five-round decision to Ankalaev, by storming out with pressure and overwhelming the champion from the opening bell.

Pereira immediately closed the distance, landing heavy leg kicks and forcing Ankalaev to retreat toward the cage. A massive overhand right connected clean, dropping Ankalaev to the canvas. Pereira followed with a barrage of punches and elbows from top position until referee Herb Dean stepped in at 1:20 of Round 1. It was the fastest finish of Pereira’s MMA career and a statement that the former kickboxing world champion had returned to his most dangerous form.

Pereira outlanded Ankalaev 28 to 4 in total strikes and showed none of the hesitation that plagued his last fight. Now a three-time UFC champion and just the third fighter to win the light heavyweight title twice, the 38-year-old continues to add to his growing legacy. With 7 championship win in 10 UFC wins, Pereira remains one of the most active and dominant fighters in the promotion. Potential challengers are already lining up, including former foe Jiri Prochazka, who scored a stunning knockout earlier in the night, and rising contender Carlos Ulberg, who recently defeated Dominick Reyes to enter the title picture.

Merab Dvalishvili (c) def. Cory Sandhagen via unanimous decision (49-45, 49-45, 49-46)

Bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili continued his title run with another dominant performance, defeating Cory Sandhagen by unanimous decision to secure his third successful title defense of the year. After a competitive first round, Dvalishvili’s relentless pressure and wrestling completely took over the fight.

Sandhagen found early success with sharp boxing and effective counterstriking, but Dvalishvili quickly adjusted, hurting him with punches in the second round and nearly securing a finish. From there, Dvalishvili dictated the pace, mixing heavy ground control with constant takedown attempts to stifle any offense from Sandhagen. His nonstop activity and cardio once again proved too much, as he set a new UFC record with 20 takedowns in a single fight and extended his career total to 117.

The victory marked Dvalishvili’s 14th straight win overall, cementing his place atop the division and adding to one of the most dominant stretches in UFC history. His ability to maintain a relentless pace while improving with each performance has fueled growing discussion about his place among the greatest bantamweights of all time. Having cleared out nearly the entire division, Dvalishvili now stands as one of the best champions in modern MMA.

UFC 320: Ankalaev vs. Pereira 2 Results

• Alex Pereira def. Magomed Ankalaev (c) via first-round TKO (punches)
• Merab Dvalishvili (c) def. Cory Sandhagen via unanimous decision (49-45, 49-45, 49-46)
• Jiri Prochazka def. Khalil Rountree Jr. via third-round TKO (punches)
• Youssef Zalal def. Josh Emmett via first-round submission (armbar)
• Joe Pyfer def. Abus Magomedov via second-round submission (rear-naked choke)
• Ateba Gautier def. Tre’ston Vines via first-round TKO
• Daniel Santos def. Yoo Joo-Sang via second-round TKO
• Jakub Wiklacz def. Patchy Mix via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
• Edmen Shahbazyan def. Andre Muniz +225 via first-round TKO (punches and elbows)
• Punahele Soriano def. Nikolay Veretennikov via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
• Macy Chiasson def. Yana Santos via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Farid Basharat def. Chris Gutierrez via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Ramiz Brahimaj def. Austin Vanderford via second-round submission (guillotine choke)
• Veronica Hardy def. Brogan Walker via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)