Alex Pereira returned to the top of the light heavyweight division at UFC 320, reclaiming his title with a decisive first-round finish against Magomed Ankalaev. The fight took place in Las Vegas, where the Brazilian star delivered one of the most explosive performances of his career.
Earlier in the year, Ankalaev had defeated Pereira by unanimous decision at UFC 313. This time, though, Pereira started fast and overwhelmed the champion in under a minute. His heavy right hand sent Ankalaev to the mat, and a quick flurry of elbows forced the stoppage, setting off loud celebrations inside the arena.
The atmosphere was electric, with fans fully behind Pereira. His trademark calm post-finish celebration added to the moment, leaving the crowd in awe as he stood over his fallen opponent.
Glover Teixeira Leads Lighthearted Reenactment
Back at Teixeira MMA & Fitness in Connecticut, the mood was light as Pereira’s longtime coach and friend Glover Teixeira led the gym in recreating the exact fight sequence. Fighters drilled the same overhand punch and ground-and-pound combination that ended the title bout.
“Let’s go guys, Alex Pereira!” Teixeira encouraged while filming his students for Instagram. He guided them step by step:
“Drop him with the overhand!”
“Finish with the elbow!”
The teammates even mimicked Pereira’s now-famous celebration at the end of the session, throwing their arms down in the same style that went viral online.
The playful scene quickly spread through social media, showing how Pereira’s dramatic victory had energized his entire gym community.
Glover Teixeira has his gym practicing Alex Pereira’s finish and celebration today 😂 pic.twitter.com/4DSQMwHVhJ
— Happy Punch (@HappyPunch) October 6, 2025
Rematch Talk Gets Immediate Pushback
While Pereira celebrated his win, conversation around a potential trilogy began almost instantly. As the belt was wrapped around Pereira’s waist inside the Octagon, one of Ankalaev’s coaches gestured for a third fight by holding up three fingers toward Teixeira.
Teixeira, however, visibly shook his head. Prior to the fight, Pereira had already expressed little interest in facing Ankalaev again, believing UFC 320 would close that chapter of his career.
Emotional Moment for Pereira After the Win
Originally, Pereira was expected to use his post-fight interview to set up a callout for Jon Jones. However, after learning of the passing of Jones’ brother Arthur Chandler, he chose to use that moment to honor him instead.
During his interview with Joe Rogan, Pereira requested a brief silence from the crowd to pay his respects. The gesture was widely praised across the MMA world.
