Magomed Ankalaev steps up to defend his UFC light heavyweight title. He faces Alex Pereira in a rematch at UFC 320.
The October 4 card in Las Vegas also features Merab Dvalishvili defending his bantamweight title against Cory Sandhagen in the co-main event. Jiri Prochazka takes on Khalil Rountree Jr in a light heavyweight bout that could name the next title challenger. UFC CEO Dana White announced the matchups on social media.
Back in Vegas with some BANGERS 🔥@AnkalaevM vs @AlexPereiraUFC 2 🏆@MerabDvalishvil vs @CorySandhagenx 🏆@Jiri_bjp vs @KhalilRountree#UFC320 | Register interest: https://t.co/pZv6AnWMF0 pic.twitter.com/UMZPULCnvu
— UFC (@ufc) July 22, 2025
Title Fights and Key Matchups
Ankalaev won the light heavyweight title by beating Pereira at UFC 313 in March 2025. His unanimous decision victory ended Pereira’s reign and marked his first UFC championship. Pereira now aims to reclaim the belt he held for over a year.
Ankalaev has not lost in his last 13 fights. He defeated Johnny Walker, Aleksandar Rakic, and Thiago Santos. Pereira, a former middleweight champion, knocked out Jamahal Hill, Jiri Prochazka, and Khalil Rountree Jr during his title run.
Dvalishvili, the bantamweight champion, meets Sandhagen in the co-main event. He took the belt from Sean O’Malley in September 2024 and defended it twice in 2025 against O’Malley and Umar Nurmagomedov. Sandhagen, ranked number three, earned his shot with a TKO over Deiveson Figueiredo in May 2025.
Prochazka and Rountree Jr fight for a possible title shot. Prochazka, a former champion, stopped Jamahal Hill in January 2025. Rountree Jr won a decision against Hill in June 2025.
Magomed Ankalaev, 33, has a 21-1-1 MMA record. He joined the UFC in 2018, losing his debut to Paul Craig by submission. He’s been unbeaten since, with wins over Anthony Smith in 2022, Walker in 2024, and Rakic in 2024. His grappling and striking earned him the title at UFC 313.
Alex Pereira, 38, has a 12-3 MMA record. A former kickboxing world champion, he won the UFC middleweight title against Israel Adesanya in 2022. He claimed the light heavyweight belt at UFC 295 in November 2023 by knocking out Prochazka and defended it three times before losing to Ankalaev.
Merab Dvalishvili, 34, has a 20-4 MMA record. He joined the UFC in 2017, building a 13-fight win streak with wins over O’Malley, Nurmagomedov, and Henry Cejudo. His wrestling and fast pace keep him dominant as champion.
Cory Sandhagen, 33, has an 18-5 MMA record. He started in the UFC in 2018, earning wins over Figueiredo, Marlon Moraes, and Frankie Edgar. He lost an interim title fight to Petr Yan in 2021 but now seeks his first UFC belt.
UFC 320 at T-Mobile Arena brings big stakes. Ankalaev aims to prove his title win was no fluke, while Pereira fights to regain his crown. Dvalishvili looks to keep his streak alive, but Sandhagen’s sharp striking could challenge him. Prochazka and Rountree Jr round out a huge night.
