UFC 320: Can Alex Pereira claim back his title?
Michael Bolton
Alex Pereira will be aiming to bounce back from losing the light-heavyweight title when he faces Magomed Ankalaev in the main event of UFC 320.
After three title defences, Ankalaev defeated Pereira in March to end his time as champion.
For Ankalaev, who has not lost since 2018, this was the moment he was waiting for. One of the most well-rounded fighters in the UFC, Ankalaev kept Pereira guessing with the wrestling mixed in with his clever striking as his path to victory.
Knowing he will have the advantage in grappling, Ankalaev will go into the rematch on Saturday with confidence.
[caption id="attachment_1813885" align="alignnone" width="819"]img Photo: Sofascore.[/caption]
If he can take down Pereira at ease, it should be a path to victory for the Russian fighter.
However, as he has shown several times before, Pereira has the power to end the fight in a second.
His knockouts of Jiri Prochazka and Israel Adesanya showed how he can change a fight completely with his power.
Whether it is his left hook, his leg kicks, or his head kick, Pereira has the weapons to win, but whether he can unleash them is the real question.
After a busy schedule prior to his last bout, has it been too much for the Brazilian, or will he adapt and respond in style?
In the co-main event, the bantamweight title is on the line as Merab Dvalishvili defends his title for the third time this year when he faces Cory Sandhagen.
After wins over Umar Nurmagomedov and Sean O'Malley, Dvalishvili has arguably been the standout fighter of 2025.
His pressure and cardio make him incredibly difficult for any fighter to keep up with, and he looks better in every fight.
Across from him in the octagon will be Cory Sandhagen, who has had to wait for his chance at the title.
Sandhagen defeated Deiveson Figueiredo in May to earn himself a title shot, having lost to Petr Yan for the interim title in 2021.
His unique style and power make him difficult to read, as he will look to fight from the outside and use his kicks as a path to victory.
If Sandhagen can start fast and put Dvalishvili under pressure early on, he could give himself a chance of victory.
However, Dvalishvili will grow as the fight goes on and will never look tired.
Elsewhere on the main card, the next contender at light-heavyweight may emerge as Khalil Rountree takes on Jiri Prochazka.
Both fighters come into the fight following wins over Jamall Hill.
Prochazka defeated Hill in a thrilling contest with a third-round knockout, while Rountree dominated Hill over five rounds.