The headline event at UFC 313 between Alex Pereira and Magomed Ankalaev for the title ended with scorecards reading 49-46, 48-47, and 48-47, a surprising result for many. Inside the T-Mobile Arena last night, the Russian powerhouse delivered one of the biggest upsets of the Brazilian’s career. Ankalaev unleashed an intense performance dominating  ‘Poatan’ in a brutal five-round battle. Although there were some takedowns, Ankalaev’s footwork and striking control took charge, forcing Pereira to “run for 20 minutes” throughout the 25-minute fight.

However, for ‘Team Khabib,’ it came as no shock. When the final bell rang, Magomed Ankalaev made history as the first Russian fighter to dethrone an active UFC champion—a feat neither Khabib Nurmagomedov nor Islam Makhachev had accomplished. On the other hand, many observers criticized Alex Pereira’s performance as “lazy” and below his usual standards. However, Coach Javier Mendez from ‘The Eagle’s team weighed in on Pereira’s loss during a recent appearance on Submission Radio.

Coach Mendez stated, “Well, I wasn’t surprised, based on the tactics he used—aggressiveness, the pummeling, coming in looking to wrestle. And you can tell with Alex Pereira, he acted so aggressively that he came in and shot him with that cross.” He pointed out how Magomed Ankalaev’s aggressive approach and wrestling style disrupted Pereira’s rhythm. In the face of this discomfort, Alex Pereira made the mistake of trying to counter Ankalaev’s attacks by shifting “his feet.”

Instead of shifting, Alex Pereira should have backed up to avoid the Dagestani export’s strikes. As he tried to counter by switching, the Brazilian was “caught right in the middle,” Mendez explained. While Mendez acknowledged Pereira’s errors, he also credited Magomed Ankalaev’s performance, adding, “That just shows the discomfort Alex was going through because Ankalaev has never proven to be that aggressive. And he used his wrestling, which was key—very, very important.”

Coach Mendez’s evaluation of Magomed Ankalaev’s aggression is valid, especially when compared to his performance at UFC 308. Earlier this year, his former rival, Jan Blachowicz, warned, “If Ankalaev fights like he did against [Aleksandar] Rakic, he’s going to lose the fight.” But last night, the Russian powerhouse fought with a level of urgency, as if his career were on the line—and in many ways, it was. His chance to become champion slipped away after a draw with Blachowicz at UFC 282 two years ago.

Ankalaev also made history by becoming the first Muslim fighter to win a belt during the holy month of Ramadan, which undoubtedly added to his motivation. Given the fight’s close scorecards, rumors of a potential rematch are already circulating. Some, like former UFC heavyweight Brendan Schaub, have labeled it a “robbery.” But Alex Pereira’s ex-girlfriend has a different take on the situation.

Alex Pereira’s ex-girlfriend, Merle Christine, dismissed the “robbery” accusations

Yesterday, on International Women’s Day, many women were gifted presents by their partners. But for Merle Christine, the gift came from her ex, not her “husband.” Alex Pereira’s defeat to Magomed Ankalaev became an unexpected present for Christine. While the majority of the MMA fanbase mourned the end of the Brazilian’s reign as the champion, for Merle, it turned out to be one of the best moments of her life.

As a reminder, Merle had been an important part of Alex Pereira’s life for four years, but things soured in late 2023, shortly after their engagement, when ‘Poatan’ discovered that Merle was allegedly married to someone else. This led to a very public and messy split, filled with online feuds. Fast forward to 2024, after Pereira had a successful year, things took a downturn for him in 2025.

Merle Christine, who is also an MMA presenter, re-entered the public eye after Alex Pereira’s loss. Similar to how Dmitry Bivol’s ex-wife, Elektra, expressed her joy following Bivol’s defeat, Merle shared her celebration of the Brazilian’s loss and Magomed Ankalaev’s victory on social media. In a video posted online, she said, “We have a new light heavyweight champion… no more Chama. Karma,” with a smile. “He lost… on International Women’s Day. Maybe that’s a sign, guys? I don’t know.”

“New light heavyweight champion Ankalaev, congrats. He did a really good job. If you guys are talking robbery, you don’t understand anything about MMA. So let’s not talk about robbery. That’s completely BS. This guy won and actually, he got this title shot very, very late, right?”

What’s your take on Team Khabib coach Javier Mendez’s assessment of Pereira’s performance? Do you think Magomed Ankalaev outstruck Alex Pereira with his never-before-seen aggression at UFC 313, or was it just that ‘Poatan’s night was off? Do you think the scorecards also played a role in the “robbery” claims? Drop your opinion below.