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Alex Pereira is set to return to the octagon to make his first title defense of the year at UFC 313. He is scheduled to face Magomed Ankalaev in the main event.
After the promotion announced the fight, Pereira opened as a +110 underdog and Ankalaev as a -140 favorite in the initial betting odds, evoking a fan reaction.
MMA on Point posted on X about Pereira opening as an underdog:
"Who you got?"
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Fans flocked to the comment section of the post and made their early predictions:
One predicted an easy KO win for Pereira:
"Pereira ko round 3."
Another sought respect for Ankalaev:
"Finishes against 3 former champions, beats the brakes off of Rountree and is still the underdog. Ankalaev commands respect."
A fan questioned the odds favoring Ankalaev over Pereira:
"In what quantum universe is Charma not the favorite?? is this as joke?"
Check out a few more fan reactions below:
'Poatan' defended his title three times in 2024.
During the year, Ankalaev continuously fired shots at the reigning UFC light heavyweight champion.
The fight between the duo was finally announced a few days ago as the main event for UFC 313.
Alex Pereira claims to have asked for a fight against Magomed Ankalaev
Alex Pereira had a great year in 2024 with three title defenses, all by finishes. On the other hand, No. 1-ranked UFC light heavyweight contender Magomed Ankalaev won two fights and kept calling for a title shot against 'Poatan'.
In his online digs at the reigning champion, Ankalaev even accused Pereira of ducking him.
After the UFC officially announced the championship bout between the duo for UFC 313, 'Poatan' addressed Ankalaev's claims in a brief interview with Megan Olivi for ESPN MMA:
"I called my managers right away and said I want to fight in March. I wanna fight Ankalaev. I know he keeps saying that I’m just an employee of the UFC… but I asked for him. I told him when I want to fight."
Watch Alex Pereira's interview below:
