The release of opening odds for the recently announced UFC 313 headliner between Alex Pereira and Magomed Ankalaev have raised some eyebrows. Pereira, the reigning light heavyweight champion, had his first assignment of 2025 announced during the broadcast of UFC 311 on Saturday night. “Poatan” was present as his long-awaited battle with Ankalaev was made […]
The release of opening odds for the recently announced UFC 313 headliner between Alex Pereira and Magomed Ankalaev have raised some eyebrows.
Pereira, the reigning light heavyweight champion, had his first assignment of 2025 announced during the broadcast of UFC 311 on Saturday night. “Poatan” was present as his long-awaited battle with Ankalaev was made official.
As always, the fight news was quickly followed by the release of opening odds. And interestingly, despite his impressive streak of successful title defenses in 2024, Pereira is the underdog.
On BetOnline.ag, the champ opened at +170, with the challenger’s line reading -200.
That split opinion online, with many expressing their confidence in Pereira maintaining his place on the light heavyweight throne come fight night at T-Mobile Arena.
At UFC 313, Alex Pereira will defend his light heavyweight title against the number one contender at 205 pounds, Magomed Ankalaev. This long-awaited clash will headline the promotion’s return to the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on March 8 as the 2025 calendar continues to take shape. The fight was made official during the UFC […]
At UFC 313, Alex Pereira will defend his light heavyweight title against the number one contender at 205 pounds, Magomed Ankalaev.
This long-awaited clash will headline the promotion’s return to the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on March 8 as the 2025 calendar continues to take shape.
The fight was made official during the UFC 311 broadcast and is certainly one that fight fans have been eagerly anticipating.
Many believe that Ankalaev has long deserved another shot at the title following his unbeaten streak in the division. He solidified his spot by beating Aleksandar Raki? at UFC 308 last October to make him undeniable.
In order to secure UFC gold for the first time, he will need to end the incredible winning streak of “Poatan,” who successfully defended the title three times last year. Since moving up to light heavyweight, Pereira has won five fights in a row but many believe that Ankalaev will be his toughest test to date.
Jon Anik also confirmed a five-round co-main event for March 8 between fan favorites Justin Gaethje and Dan Hooker at lightweight.
Former interim UFC lightweight champion Justin Gaethje expects to be back in action before quarter one of 2025 comes to a close. Gaethje, who currently occupies the #3 ranking at 155 pounds, hasn’t competed since his BMF title defense at UFC 300 last April. “The Highlight” was on the receiving end of the year’s consensus […]
Former interim UFC lightweight champion Justin Gaethje expects to be back in action before quarter one of 2025 comes to a close.
Gaethje, who currently occupies the #3 ranking at 155 pounds, hasn’t competed since his BMF title defense at UFC 300 last April. “The Highlight” was on the receiving end of the year’s consensus best knockout — a buzzer-beating finish for Max Holloway.
The result stalled plans for another championship opportunity for the Arizona native. And given the severity of the KO, Gaethje was sent to the sidelines for a period of rest and recovery.
Now cleared to return, Gaethje is looking ahead to his first assignment of the new year. And while discussing that during a video uploaded to his YouTube channel, the 36-year-old confirmed reports of a showdown with Dan Hooker.
While it remains unofficial, Gaethje revealed that he is indeed preparing for that exact task.
“So there’s no official fight signed, but I told the UFC maybe two, three months ago that March was, you know, the date I was looking for,” Gaethje said. “I know there’s a fight March 8th in Las Vegas, so that’s the one I told them I wanted to be on. I think they’re figuring out fights right now, but I’m certainly mentally preparing, physically preparing to fight on that date.
“When you take a loss like that and you’re as competitive as we are, then it lights a fire under your ass,” Gaethje continued. “So we’re back to it, back to, you know, back in the swing of things and back getting ready for a specific day, a specific opponent. I think it’s going to be Dan Hooker. But you know, with the UFC, things can always change.”
Prior to his setback against “Blessed,” Gaethje was coming off consecutive wins over Rafael Fiziev and Dustin Poirier in 2023.
While he’ll be looking to bounce back in 2025, Hooker will hope to continue his momentum from a massive result Down Under last August. At UFC 305 in Perth, he made it three wins in a row by outpointing Mateusz Gamrot to upset the odds and return to title contention.
A huge lightweight contest between Justin Gaethje and Dan Hooker has been confirmed for the UFC 313 co-main event on March 8. MMA Mania’s Alex Behunin reported on the matchup back in December, noting it had been talked about for UFC 313 on March 8 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. And the fight […]
A huge lightweight contest between Justin Gaethje and Dan Hooker has been confirmed for the UFC 313 co-main event on March 8.
MMA Mania’s Alex Behunin reported on the matchup back in December, noting it had been talked about for UFC 313 on March 8 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
And the fight was made official during the UFC 311 broadcast, alongside the news that Alex Pereira will defend his gold opposite Magomed Ankalaev.
Gaethje has been out of action since his knockout loss against Max Holloway in the incredible BMF title fight that took place at UFC 300 in April. “The Highlight” has produced some instant classics against many of the division’s best and though the same can be said for Hooker, they’re somehow yet to cross paths.
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