Alex “Poeton” Pereira comes into UFC 313 in rarefied air. He is only the ninth fighter to hold two belts in the UFC. This card has a guaranteed action-packed fight at the top; there are no paddle cakes here.
Pereira vs Ankaliev
This is a 5 round fight in the light heavyweight division. Neither of these guys likes to wrestle, so this will be a stand-up affair. Ankaliev is a patient fighter; by that, I mean he has a slow and outright boring pace at times. It’s gotten him in trouble where he’s had to sweat a judge’s decision. His only loss was by submission and he walked into it in a fight he was otherwise winning back in his UFC debut. On the other hand is an active rangy fighter with massive power. Both his losses were to Israel Adesanya, and I don’t know if anyone checked, but that ain’t Ankaliev. Look for him to mix in the leg kicks early and piece Ankaliev up at range. I like Pereira to retain the belt but I can’t decide if it will end by KO with Ankaliev’s durability.
Gaethje vs Fiziev
Justin Gaethje is coming off a life lesson about what can happen when pointing to the center of the ring. He hasn’t fought since he got knocked out in April 2024. He throws volume and likes to block punches with his face. Fiziev is coming off a longer layoff that dates back to September. He too is a primary striker, so we are likely to see some fireworks here. Look for this one to end by knockout. It’s tough to pick a side with two soft brained individuals, but ultimately, I’ve got to lean toward Fiziev.
Turned v Bahamondez
These guys are huge for the division at 6’3”. Turner has a 100% finish rate and Bahamondez is 76%. I’m sure each of them is accustomed to making but they both lose out in this fight. Bahamondez sets a brutal pace and Turner has the advantage on the ground. I like Jalin Turner to get the W and it might even be by submission.
Blaydes vs Kuniev
The elusive heavyweight fight. There aren’t enough big boys in promotion. This point is evidenced by Kuniev fighting the number 5 contender in the division. This one is going to end by knockout, no doubt, it might not even get past half a round.
There are some gems early on this card, but you’re not going to recognize the name. It’s worth the early evening commitment to watch the prelims, but most of the name recognition is in the pay per view. I wouldn’t fault anyone for waiting to tune in until about 9:30 EST.
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