The reigning, undisputed light heavyweight champion, Alex Pereira, is set to return to the Octagon after a dominant 2024 campaign. At UFC 313, ‘Poatan’ will defend his title for the fourth time, facing a long-awaited challenger in Magomed Ankalaev. The 32-year-old Dagestani powerhouse has been patiently waiting for his shot, and on March 8, all questions will finally be answered. On paper, Ankalaev presents the toughest challenge of Pereira’s career. He has repeatedly claimed that the Brazilian has avoided him, but now, there’s nowhere left to run.

MMA fans have witnessed Pereira dismantle his last three opponents with brutal knockouts. But can he do the same against a fighter like Ankalaev? Many consider the Russian to be a formidable grappler at 205lbs, and former champ Jamahal Hill believes this could be the key to victory. ‘Sweet Dreams’ who suffered a first-round KO loss to Pereira at UFC 300, recently broke down the fight on his YouTube channel with Merab Dvalishvili.

Sharing his first-hand experience against the champion, Hill explained: “Whenever Pereira enters, he enters. It’s always that one big shot. It’s a big shot that he enters with to kind of hit you, to kind of stun you. To where he can start unloading combinations on you.” However, Hill believes Ankalaev has the perfect counter for Pereira’s explosive power—his ability to control distance and land counters with precision. If Pereira fails to evade in time, Hill predicts Ankalaev will knock him out at UFC 313.

He further added: “From there, one shot against Magomed will get you countered and could possibly get him knocked out. I see a place where Magomed counters and knocks out Alex. That could be a thing.”

Well, ‘Sweet Dreams’ might have a point. Ankalaev is unbeaten in his last 13 fights and has shown that he possesses the power to knock out elite opponents. However, the big question remains—will he be at his absolute best? The 32-year-old will already be eight days into Ramadan when he steps into the Octagon against Pereira. But is he really fasting while preparing for such a high-stakes fight? Alex Pereira doesn’t think so.

Alex Pereira aims Magomed Ankalaev’s ‘fasting’ claims before UFC 313

“I wanna fight. I wanna fight in March and I wanna fight Ankalaev.” These were the words of Alex Pereira when asked about facing Magomed Ankalaev. Now, the fight is set, but for Ankalaev—a devout Muslim—the timing couldn’t be more challenging. One of the biggest hurdles he faces is balancing the demands of Ramadan with the intense training required for the biggest fight of his career. Fasting—which means no food or water from sunrise to sunset—naturally takes a toll on the body. And when you’re going up against a fully fueled and razor-sharp Pereira, that challenge becomes even greater.

However, Ankalaev remains unfazed. Rather than seeing Ramadan as an obstacle, he believes the discipline will help him in his preparation. The champion, however, isn’t convinced that Ankalaev is truly fasting. In fact, Pereira believes his opponent is using Ramadan as an excuse.

According to MMA Orbit, Pereira made a bold claim via AG Fight, stating: “I think he’s using (Ramadan) as an excuse.” He then explained what led him to this conclusion: “Today, I went to get my lunch boxes—the UFC lunch boxes—and there were two bags with several lunch boxes with his name on them, all with a set time. He’s not doing that (fasting). He’s deceiving people and telling them so he can have an excuse later.”

Ankalaev’s road to a title shot has been anything but smooth. Despite being considered one of the most deserving contenders in the division, he was repeatedly overlooked while Pereira capitalized on back-to-back opportunities. Now, after a long wait, his moment has finally arrived.

But with Pereira questioning his discipline and mindset, the pressure is on. Will Ankalaev rise to the occasion and prove himself under the brightest lights? Or will Pereira expose him when it matters most? Drop your predictions in the comments below!