Alex Pereira Eyes Heavyweight Move After Magomed Ankalaev Showdown at UFC 313

By Ali Hammad March 06, 2025 22:33 GMT+4 min read

Alright, fight fans, buckle up because we've got some juicy news coming out of the UFC camp. Our boy Alex Pereira, the current light heavyweight champ with fists of dynamite, is apparently eyeing a move to heavyweight. Yeah, you heard that right – the man who's been terrorizing the 205-pound division is thinking about stepping into the cage with the big boys.

Now, before we get ahead of ourselves, Pereira's got a date with destiny this Saturday at UFC 313. He's defending his belt against Magomed Ankalaev, a dude who's been on an absolute tear lately. But word on the street is that win or lose, Pereira's got his sights set on bigger things – literally.

I caught up with Dana White at a press event last week, and let me tell you, the guy was practically gidding. "Alex at heavyweight? Man, that's the kind of stuff that gets me out of bed in the morning," he told me, grinning like a kid on Christmas. "If he gets past Ankalaev, sky's the limit."

But let's talk about this Ankalaev fight for a sec. This ain't gonna be a walk in the park for Pereira. Ankalaev's got that Dagestani wrestling pedigree that's given plenty of strikers nightmares. Remember how he ragdolled Johnny Walker? Yeah, that could be trouble for our boy Alex.

I managed to grab a quick word with Pereira after his open workout yesterday. Dude was dripping sweat but still looked like he could knock out a rhino. "Heavyweight? Why not?" he said, shrugging those massive shoulders. "I've always wanted to test myself. After Saturday, we'll see what happens."

Now, I've been covering this sport for a long time, and let me tell you – a Pereira move to heavyweight would be bonkers. Imagine those sledgehammer hands connecting with some of these big fellas. Tom Aspinall, the current champ, is a beast, but Pereira's striking is on another level. And don't even get me started on a potential Jon Jones matchup. That fight would break the internet.

But here's the thing – Pereira's gotta get through Ankalaev first. This fight's gonna be a classic striker vs. grappler matchup. Pereira's gonna want to keep it standing, while Ankalaev's gonna be shooting for takedowns like his life depends on it. My buddy Dan over at MMA Junkie thinks Ankalaev's wrestling could be the difference-maker, but I'm not so sure. All it takes is one of those Pereira left hooks to change the whole game.

So, what's the verdict? Is Pereira really gonna make the jump to heavyweight? Only time will tell. But I'll tell you this much – if he does, it's gonna be one hell of a ride. The heavyweight division better watch out, because the Poatan express might be coming to town.

As for me? I'll be cageside on Saturday, watching this madness unfold. And you can bet your bottom dollar I'll be the first one asking Pereira about those heavyweight plans if he gets his hand raised. Stay tuned, fight fans – this story's just getting started.