Storylines: UFC 313

Magomed Ankalaev stands at his moment of truth with no time to reflect on the journey. A grave challenge awaits him.

The battle-tested 32-year-old Dagestani grappler will challenge Alex Pereira for the undisputed Ultimate Fighting Championship light heavyweight title in the UFC 313 headliner on Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Unbeaten with 11 wins, a draw and a no contest across his past 13 assignments, Ankalaev enters the cage on the heels of back-to-back victories. He last suited up at UFC 308, where he took a unanimous decision from Aleksandar Rakic in their three-round encounter on Oct. 26. Pereira, meanwhile, has emerged as one of the sport’s most bankable attractions. He has won five fights in a row, four of them finishes, to improve his record inside the Octagon to a stellar 9-1. Pereira, 37, last saw action on Oct. 5, when he connected with career-best 127 significant strikes ahead of a fourth-round technical knockout of Khalil Rountree at UFC 307.

The Pereira-Ankalaev showdown and its resulting fallout for the light heavyweight division is but one storyline to watch at UFC 313. Here are three more:

Chapter Two

Three rounds were not enough to settle the score between Justin Gaethje and Rafael Fiziev, so the lightweight action heroes are set to lock horns again in the co-main event. Gaethje won their first meeting by majority decision two years ago, outlanding the Kazakhstan native by a narrow 106-97 margin in total strikes. The ex-World Series of Fighting champion steps back into view having rattled off seven victories in 10 outings. Gaethje, now 36, has not fought since he was victimized by Max Holloway in a last-second knockout at UFC 300 on April 12. On the other side of the equation, Fiziev fills in as a short-notice replacement for the injured Dan Hooker. It marks his first appearance since he suffered a fight-ending torn ACL against former two-division Konfrontacja Sztuk Walki titleholder Mateusz Gamrot in September 2023. Can the indomitable Gaethje bounce back again and put another rivalry in his rearview mirror?

Dizzying Heights

Two of the lightweight division’s tallest competitors have been paired with each other, as Jalin Turner and Ignacio Bahamondes collide in a compelling showcase at 155 pounds. Both men check in at a towering 6-foot-3. Turner may have more on the line, as he has lost three of his past four bouts. “The Tarantula” last fought at UFC 300, where he succumbed to second-round elbows and punches from Renato “Money” Moicano in April. It was Turner’s first stoppage loss in more than five years. Bahamondes, meanwhile, has momentum on his side. The Chilean kickboxer climbs into the cage on the strength of back-to-back first-round finishes of Christos Giagos and Manuel Torres. Bahamondes, 27, operates out of the VFS Academy in Chicago, where he often trains alongside reigning UFC welterweight champion Belal Muhammad. Which lightweight giant takes a step forward?

Stock Watch

While looks have been known to be deceiving in mixed martial arts, all signs point to Mauricio Ruffy as a potential building block at 155 pounds. The Fighting Nerds export attempts to climb another rung on the ladder when he squares off with onetime King of the Cage champion Bobby Green in a three-round lightweight tilt. Ruffy joined the roster via Dana White’s Contender Series in 2023 and proceeded to punch out Jamie Mullarkey in his organizational debut before settling for a unanimous decision over James Llontop at UFC 309 in November. Seven of his 11 professional victories have concluded inside one round. On the other side of the docket, Green brings a wealth of experience and plenty of guile to the table. The Pinnacle MMA rep finds himself on the rebound after being put to sleep by a Paddy Pimblett triangle choke in the first round of their UFC 304 clash in July. Will Ruffy continue his ascent at the expense of the 50-fight veteran?