If you thought “CHAMA” would be the loudest thing at UFC 313, think again. Before a single punch was thrown, Bruce Buffer shook the arena with something even more dramatic, his legendary “The One and Only” introduction. And who got the honor? Alex Pereira. That’s right, the same line previously reserved for Jon Jones and Conor McGregor. And just like that, the MMA world lost its mind.

But here’s the wild part, Max Holloway called it. Last month, he went on his YouTube channel and said, “I think Bruce Buffer should announce Alex Pereira as ‘The One, The Only.’ “He deserves it.”, replied ‘Blessed.’ Fast forward to right now, and it actually happened. Manifestation? Coincidence? You decide.

Fans, though, are split. “Only GOATs get that treatment” vs. “Industry plant, he’s not that level of superstar yet.” The debate is raging, and Poatan’s name is now in an exclusive club, whether you like it or not.

So, was this a well-earned coronation or just UFC hype at its finest? Either way, Max Holloway might need to start picking lottery numbers next. Or maybe Ankalaev should, because somehow, his predictions came true as well.

Did Bruce Buffer’s call benefit the “one and only”?

Well, not exactly. Because by the end of the night, “The one and only” was the one and former.

Because, Magomed Ankalaev had other plans. And they definitely didn’t involve ‘Poatan’ walking out with the belt. The Dagestani powerhouse, fresh off Ramadan break, stepped into the octagon, took in the boos, the staredowns, the infamous Pereira mystique and shrugged it all off. The mind games? The intimidation factor? Ankalaev couldn’t have cared less. “No Chama,” he chanted pre-fight, and boy, did he mean it.

Alex Pereira came in swinging, literally, targeting Ankalaev’s legs to slow down his wrestling, a strategy everyone expected. But Ankalaev didn’t just absorb the shots, he adjusted, countered, and dictated the fight at his own pace. The crowd, once deafening for the former champion, slowly started shifting.

And Ankalaev called it. Before the fight, he did keep confidently mentioning that by the end of the fight, the audience will love him. So, do we? Because winning doesn’t always equal fan love, right?Especially when you dethrone a knockout artist like Pereira. But did he earn respect? Absolutely. He didn’t just win tonight, he dismantled the hype. Rewrote the script, and took over the division in dominant fashion.

Now, let’s talk about the elephant in the room. Did Pereira’s real fight happen outside the octagon? Because if we go by the whispers (and by whispers, we mean Daniel Cormier’s not-so-subtle observations), the former heavyweight kingpin, might not have been 100% ready for this one.

Think about it. His training camp? Questionable. The weight cut? Rough. And let’s not forget the media obligations, the expectations, the aura he had to uphold. The cold, hard truth? The version of the Brazilian we saw at UFC 313 wasn’t the same wrecking machine that bulldozed through two divisions in the last three and a half years.

So, was Buffer’s “One and Only” call a coronation or a curse? Did Pereira’s aura take a hit outside the cage before Ankalaev even stepped in? Either way, UFC 313 just flipped the light heavyweight division on its head, and now there’s a new king.

What do you think? Was this UFC hype gone wrong, or did Pereira truly deserve the call? And more importantly, is Ankalaev really the guy to take over the division, or was this just a perfect storm? Let us know in the comments below!