“Your victory is a credit to the republic, which, thanks to you and our athletes, has gained respect, recognition, and at times even fear from our rivals. And not only in the ring, on the mat, or in the Octagon,” said Sergey Melikov, Head of the Republic of Dagestan, as he welcomed their local hero, newly crowned 205lbs kingpin Magomed Ankalaev back to his motherland. But what makes this moment so special? The Dagestani juggernaut with his relentless pressure and well-rounded skill set, neutralized Alex Pereira on the feet at UFC 313. Beyond that, he became the third Dagestani fighter—after Khabib Nurmagomedov and Islam Makhachev—to claim a prestigious UFC title.

Unlike Khabib and Islam, however, the Russian became the first to dethrone an active champion, as opposed to the previous two claiming a vacated belt. With this achievement, Ankalaev has become the center of attention. However, the unanimous decision (49-46, 48-47, 47-48) in Ankalaev’s favor raised some questions. The demand for a rematch is growing, with both fans and Pereira’s team calling for it. Moreover, Dana White has also given his approval, stating that a rematch is “probably” the next step.

This week, ‘Poatan’ revealed that talks for the rematch are already underway, saying, “We’re already in the talks.” The question now is: Will a rematch threaten Magomed Ankalaev’s title reign? According to ‘Team Khabib’s coach, Javier Mendez, the answer is no. Speaking on the ‘Javier & Mo Show’ on YouTube, Mendez was also asked if Ankalaev’s stock dropped owing to a decision win. To this, the AKA head honcho stated:

“Well, that’s a yes and a no. It depends on who you are, you know, and, uh, in this case, um, I don’t know the real answer. I just know that he doesn’t fight to his potential, and he did this fight. So, the way I look at it, if he fights this fight again, fights the same way he did, he’s going to be a bigger star because people are paying attention to him. He fought very impressive. He doesn’t have to get a finish; he just has to perform the way he did. If he performs the way he did in this last fight, the next one, people are going to love him even more because he did it again.”

Ankalaev has been a dominant figure in the light heavyweight division since making his UFC debut in 2018. Despite his impressive career and only one loss over a decade of competition, the Russian Powerhouse has openly expressed his frustration with not receiving a title shot sooner.

For the unversed, the Dagestani’s first shot at gold ended in infamy when he fought against Jan Blachowicz for the vacant title at UFC 282. The bout ended in a draw and failed to crown a new king. But in 2025, ‘Big Ank’ made the most of this golden chance. Today, the Dagestani native commands the respect of the MMA world, including from the only fighter to defeat him in his UFC career. Let’s take a closer look at what he has to say!

Paul Craig reacts to Magomed Ankalaev’s title win over Alex Pereira

Magomed Ankalaev’s career once held the promise of mirroring that of his countryman, Khabib Nurmagomedov, with an undefeated record. However, his UFC debut in 2018 against Paul Craig derailed that dream. The fight, held at UFC London, did not go according to the Russian’s plan. Despite dominating with superior control and top position throughout most of the fight, Ankalaev found himself in a shocking twist in the final moments.

Paul Craig, who had been outclassed, managed to lock in a triangle choke and secure a submission victory. This marked Magomed Ankalaev’s only career loss, and since then, both fighters’ careers have diverged. Fast forward to today, and after a series of dominant victories, including his recent win over Pereira to claim gold, the Dagestani sensation has firmly established himself as the division’s leader. In contrast, Paul Craig has struggled to maintain his momentum and currently competes at 185lbs.

Reflecting on the Russian powerhouse’s rise, Craig shared his thoughts on a podcast, stating, “Ankalaev, I thought, looked very good. It was inevitable, I said this last week, I said Ankalaev would win. I thought it was a good fight, even though I know people aren’t happy with Ankalaev being the champion. I’ve beaten some big names, man. Beating Ankalaev is only for one specific guy. What you’ve got to do is let him think he’s winning… That victory is getting sweeter every time this guy fights.”

What’s your take on Team Khabib’s coach Javier Mendez and his influence? In the potential rematch, do you think Alex Pereira could reclaim his lost glory, or will Magomed Ankalaev extend his lead to 2-0 over the Brazilian? Share your thoughts below.