Magomed Ankalaev Humiliates Israel Adesanya in One Line Over Alex Pereira UFC 313 Verdict

UFC 313 is done and dusted. Time to face the music. Still reeling from Alex Pereira‘s loss? Imagine how the so-called experts feel. The fighters and pundits who backed ‘Poatan’ with unwavering confidence? Yeah, they got it wrong. Turns out, MMA math isn’t always reliable. Even Israel Adesanya was sure Pereira had this in the bag.

But Magomed Ankalaev? He had other plans. Like a silent eagle (not from Khabib’s camp, but you get the idea), he swooped in, snatched the gold, and left, dropping a cold “Sorry guys, I disappointed you 😊” on his way out. Brutal. And who was on the receiving end of that perfectly timed burn on X (formerly Twitter)? Izzy, Kamaru Usman, Alexander Volkanovski, Max Holloway, Robert Whittaker, Michael Bisping, Henry Cejudo, and the whole squad.

And if you thought you were disappointed, imagine ‘The Last Stylebender’. Pereira’s new bestie had casually thrown out a “Poatan! Chama!” before the fight as if they hadn’t spent years trying to take each other’s heads off. Now, that’s got to sting.

Bisping, to his credit, took it like a champ. He responded with “Haha you proved me wrong champ. Congrats!” Adesanya, though? Not quite as amused. Leading up to the fight, Ankalaev wasn’t just the underdog. He was practically written off. Everyone had him pegged as the guy who would need to wrestle to stand a chance against Pereira. But instead, he smothered ‘Poatan’, shut down his space, ate those brutal calf kicks, and still came out on top. And he didn’t just win, he won decisively.

The scorecards read unanimous decision, with one judge going 49-46 in favor of the Dagestani. That sent Adesanya into an existential crisis on his YouTube channel, muttering, “I had Alex winning, but I’m not sure. I’d have to watch it again and score the fight properly.” He even took a moment to call the fight game “stupid” before backtracking with “I f***ing love it, eh.” But here’s the real question, did this so-called stupid game end up giving Adesanya a friendship that somehow adds to his legacy?

How did Israel Adesanya end up in Poatan’s corner?

Now, let’s talk about the most unexpected twist in the Poatan-Izzy saga. Let’s be honest, this rivalry is shaping up to be the kind of story they’ll tell one day about how champions accidentally created other champions. A refresher, shall we?

Remember when Israel Adesanya completely dismissed Pereira as just “a guy in a bar” who could only brag about his past kickboxing wins? Yeah, about that. That guy in a bar didn’t just step into the UFC. He kicked the door down and snatched Izzy’s middleweight title. Only to lose it at UFC 287, to later level up to light heavyweight to do it all again. And now? Well, we just watched him lose that belt, too.

Cue another massive shift incoming. And if that wasn’t wild enough, the two are now planning to train together. Yes, you read that right. At UFC 312, they weren’t just watching fights; they were breaking them down, swapping tips, and reminiscing like old war buddies. Pereira even threw Izzy a compliment on his fight strategy and Adesanya? He was all ears.

So yeah, seeing Izzy back his former nemesis and still take the L? The universe has a sense of humor. The question is, how does he handle carrying not just his own recent setbacks but now, by proxy, his bestie’s, too? Because the “monster” he once claimed to have created seems to have lost some of its bite ever since they became acquaintances. Naturally, Pereira and Ankalaev are both calling for a rematch. And with Dana White chiming in with a “probably” when asked about it, it’s about as close to a confirmation as you’re going to get without an official poster drop.

And honestly, why wouldn’t it happen? Pereira has been the UFC’s golden ticket, saving pay-per-views left and right, stepping in last minute to headline massive events like UFC 300 and UFC 303. If anyone has earned an immediate do-over, it’s him. Also, the fact that Pereira’s entire UFC journey started because he chased Izzy into the promotion, can’t be denied.

If he was willing to hunt down an old rival for gold, do you really think he’s just going to let the Russian walk around with his belt without a rematch? Yeah, not happening. So, what do you think? Should Pereira get an immediate rematch, or has Ankalaev earned the right to move on? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!