UFC president Dana White announced that the promotion's light heavyweight champion, Alex Pereira, could become the top-ranked fighter in the pound-for-pound (P4P) category if he wins against Magomed Ankalaev.
The fight between Ankalaev and Pereira is scheduled for March 9 at UFC 313 in Las Vegas, USA.
Dana White on the First Take show on ESPN
Ankalaev is a very serious threat to him. This is a tough fight for Alex. Alex comes out of this the way he’s come out of every other fight, he might be the pound-for-pound best fighter in the world.
Ankalaev last fought against Aleksandar Rakić in October 2024 at UFC 308, winning the match by unanimous decision after going the full distance. His record includes 19 wins, one loss, one draw, and one no contest.
Pereira last entered the octagon to fight Khalil Rountree in October 2024 at UFC 307, winning the bout by technical knockout in the fourth round. He holds a record of 12 wins and two losses.
