Alex Pereira’s big win at UFC 320 may have come with an injury.
On Saturday night, Pereira knocked out Magomed Ankalaev in the first round of their rematch to take back the light heavyweight belt. The quick finish gave him a historic spot in UFC records, joining Jon Jones as one of only three fighters to win the title twice at 205 pounds.
But soon after the fight ended, signs of trouble appeared.
Injury Signs Right After the Fight
Just moments after the referee stepped in, Pereira bent down and grabbed his toes. Cameras showed him trying to fix the position of his foot. Later, backstage, he was seen walking slowly with a boot on his leg.
At the post-fight press conference, UFC president Dana White spoke about what he saw, though he didn’t have medical results yet.
“He definitely either dislocated or broke his toes or something, I don’t know that for a fact but I saw what all of you saw and it looked like he definitely f—– his toes up,” White said in the post fight press conference.
ALEX PEREIRA WAS INJURED IN THE ANKALEV FIGHT 🤯
He was spotted backstage wearing a boot after the fight
h/t @RedCorner_MMA pic.twitter.com/tcTgMiqADl
— ACD MMA (@acdmma_) October 5, 2025
Soon after, Pereira explained in an interview that he thinks the injury happened right when the fight started.
“Yeah, we have to see how this heals up but I’m pretty sure it’s broken, I was kicking his legs and when he switched stances as soon as I kicked his lead leg, I felt my foot (break) so we’ll have to see,” Pereira said.
The champion said he will wait for tests to find out exactly how serious the injury is.
Alex Pereira reveals he broke his foot kicking Magomed Ankalaev’s leg 😳
“As soon as I kicked his lead leg, I felt my foot.” #UFC320 pic.twitter.com/t2GNSIsI0Y
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) October 5, 2025
Future Plans May Depend on Recovery
Pereira’s win put him back on top of the light heavyweight division. It was another strong showing that showed his power and timing. But if his foot is broken, he may need time to recover before returning to the cage.
Pereira has recently talked about fighting Jon Jones in a heavyweight superfight at the upcoming UFC White House card. Fans are excited about that matchup, but his injury could affect the timing.
Dana White has also said he wants Pereira to defend his belt first because there are strong contenders waiting at 205 pounds. Fighters like Carlos Ulberg and Jiri Prochazka are both close to a title shot.
For now, Pereira and the UFC will wait for doctors to give a clear update. The results will help decide whether he stays at light heavyweight for his next fight or moves up to heavyweight like he has been hinting.
Pereira’s win at UFC 320 was short and powerful, but the injury news has added some uncertainty. Fans will be watching to see how fast he can heal and what direction the UFC takes with him next.
