LAS VEGAS: Magomed Ankalaev’s plan coming into Saturday’s light heavyweight bout at UFC 313 was to pressure Alex Pereira.

And then add more pressure. And more.

The strategy worked, as Ankalaev scored a stunning upset with a unanimous decision to take Pereira’s undisputed light heavyweight belt.

“I can’t even put it into words,” Ankalaev said in the ring during the post-fight interview through a translator. “It’s been such a long way, and it’s my dream. It’s on my waist.”

All three judges scored in favor of Ankalaev (21-1-1), with scores of 49-46 and two at 48-47.

Ankalaev was never intimidated by his well-decorated opponent, even after enduring a barrage of leg kicks in the first round.

Rather than play things cautiously, Ankalaev went on the offensive and stayed aggressive in backing down Pereira while using an overpowering left hand that continued to stagger UFC’s top active star.

Bruce Buffer’s announcement with the result propelled a chorus of boos from the pro-Pereira crowd.

“I knew it would be a war,” said Pereira (12-3-0), who was putting his belt on the line for the fourth time. “Every fight of mine is a war.”

Pereira (12-2), who turns 38 on July 7, closed -120 at BetMGM Sportsbook.

As close as the fight was, UFC President and CEO Dana White had one word when asked about a potential rematch: “Probably.”

In the co-main event, the No. 3-ranked lightweight and fan favorite Justin Gaethje (27-5-0) earned a unanimous decision over No. 11 Rafael Fiziev (12-4-0) in what was tabbed ” Fight of the Night.” Gaethje was scheduled to fight Dan Hooker, who pulled out because of a hand injury. Gatheje dropped Fiziev with a stiff right uppercut in the second round.

Lightweight Ignacio Bahamondes (17-5-0) earned a first-round win when he made Jalin Turner (14-9-0) tap after administering a triangle choke at the 2:29 mark. Turner left the cage and waited in front of press row for Bahamondes to finish his interview, intending to return to the cage to leave his gloves and signify his retirement. Security would not let him return, however.

No. 5 strawweight contender Amanda Lemos improved to 15-4-1 with a unanimous decision over seventh-ranked Iasmin Lucindo (17-6-0).

Mauricio Ruffy (12-1-0) delivered a spinning heel kick with his right foot to the temple of King Green (32-17-1) to score a vicious knockout just 2:07 into the first round of their lightweight bout.

Just after Ruffy’s knockout kick and before the women’s bout, a tribute video for Robbie Lawler played in honor of the former welterweight champion. Watching cageside, an emotional Lawler received a standing ovation as it was announced he would be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame’s Modern Wing as a member of the Class of 2025. The ceremony will take place as part of the 13th Annual UFC International Fight Week on June 26.

“Robbie was an absolute killer, and I have a ton of respect for his toughness and his fighting style, which helped grow the sport of MMA and UFC by attracting a lot of new fans,” UFC president and CEO Dana White said in a statement.

India faces New Zealand in the Champions Trophy final Sunday in what can be deemed a new-age rivalry.
While India’s clashes against Pakistan, Australia and England have attracted more attention, this matchup with the Black Caps has slowly been bubbling under the surface.
The 2024-25 season saw this new-age rivalry come to a proper flash point.
New Zealand beat India 3-0 in a test series in its own backyard, a feat never registered before. India went on to lose in Australia. Both series defeats cost India a spot in the World Test Championship final. It has only gained little redemption in reaching the Champions Trophy final here.
Last fall’s test series is vital on another account. Mitchell Santner led New Zealand’s bowling attack with sizzling performances in Pune and Mumbai, as India got stumped against spin at home.
Santner is now the Black Caps’ ODI skipper and has led them to the final — where spin is again expected to hold the key.
The square at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium has progressively slowed down. Australia’s 264 in the first semifinal was the highest first innings’ total here in the Champions Trophy — chased down by India with 11 balls to spare.
When India and New Zealand clashed here in their group game last Sunday, the ball hardly bounced up more than the knee in the second innings. Spin, thus, will play a key role in determining the outcome of this final.
Rohit Sharma started the tournament with three spinners and brought in Varun Chakravarthy with Mohammed Shami and all-rounder Hardik Pandya as the only pace options. It has worked well — Chakravarthy took seven wickets in two games; Indian spinners have picked 14 out of 20 wickets against New Zealand and Australia enroute to the final.
With spin taking precedence on a two-paced surface, certain batters from both sides will hold the spotlight. Virat Kohli (217 runs in four matches) and Kane Williamson (189 runs in four matches) will anchor their sides with strike rotation. Rachin Ravindra (226 runs in three matches) and Shreyas Iyer (195 runs in four matches) have higher strike rates, and their aggression will be key in setting up the innings.
“It could be a 300-run wicket or a 250-one,” Santner said on Saturday. “We have to go in with an open mind and adjust accordingly. There will be periods of sustained pressure on both sides.”
Advantage India?
India did not travel to host country Pakistan for security reasons and played all its group games, the semifinal and now the final too, in Dubai. Pakistan and the ICC didn’t think it best to split India’s games across other venues in the UAE for financial reasons.
Opinion is varied, even within India’s dressing room, if that’s given India an advantage.
“What undue advantage?” asked coach Gautam Gambhir after the semifinal victory over Australia. “We haven’t practiced here even for a day. We have practiced at the ICC Academy (in Dubai). Some people are just perpetual cribbers — they need to grow up.”
Shami, India’s lead pacer with eight wickets in four games, differed: “It definitely helped us because we know the conditions and behavior of the pitch.”
New Zealand, for its part, dominated the Pakistan leg of the Champions Trophy. It knocked out Pakistan and Bangladesh in the group games, and despite tiring journeys to-and-from Dubai, had enough gas in the tank to pummel South Africa in the Lahore semifinal.
“The weather has been a little shock — it jumped up 10 degrees in the last couple days,” Santner said. “We will get a run tonight and it will set us up for tomorrow.”
Roots of the rivalry
Nearly 25 years ago, Chris Cairns’ well-timed century in Nairobi powered New Zealand past India to win the ICC Knock Out Trophy, which later was renamed the Champions Trophy.
It remains the only limited-overs ICC trophy in New Zealand’s cabinet. The Black Caps did add another in 2021 — beating India in the World Test Championship final at Southampton. In between, the Men in Blue were stopped in their tracks at the semifinal stage of the 2019 Cricket World Cup, losing a two-day rain-affected semifinal to New Zealand at Manchester.
There have been a handful of other vital clashes between the two sides — in 2021, New Zealand knocked India out of the T20 World Cup. In 2023, India returned the favor — beating New Zealand in the semifinal at Mumbai, denying them a third straight final appearance in the Cricket World Cup.
India last won the Champions Trophy in 2013 — star players Rohit Sharma and Kohli were part of that winning group. Could it be a potential final ODI outing for the stars, if they manage to overturn the 2023 disappointment of losing to Australia in the final?
“There is no talk about retirement in the dressing room, now,” vice-captain Shubman Gill said. “Last time we could not win the 2023 World Cup. We are determined to win this time.”