Adriano Moraes Analyzes Alex Pereira’s UFC 313 Performance : What Went Wrong?

On March 8, the UFC light heavyweight division saw a major shift as Magomed Ankalaev dethroned Alex Pereira in the main event of UFC 313. Heading into the fight, many viewed this as Pereira’s toughest test at 205 pounds. While Ankalaev executed a smart and disciplined game plan, Pereira’s performance left fans and analysts puzzled.
Pereira just didn’t look like himself that night. He wasn’t throwing much, he wasn’t setting traps, and he never really got into a flow. Ankalaev didn’t have to do anything flashy—he just stayed composed and took control. Even when Pereira stuffed the takedowns, it didn’t matter because he wasn’t making Ankalaev pay for it. Former ONE flyweight champ Adriano Moraes watched it all go down and had some thoughts on what went wrong for the Brazilian.
For many, the biggest question before UFC 313 was whether Ankalaev would wrestle or stand with Pereira. Ultimately, he didn’t need to rely on his grappling—he controlled the fight without it. Speaking to Bloody Elbow, Moraes pointed out that Pereira simply didn’t do enough to make Ankalaev uncomfortable.

“Sometimes you have bad times in the office. It’s not every time you’re gonna give our best performance, and unfortunately, it happened with Alex Pereira. That wasn’t his night,” Moraes said. “Unfortunately, I think a lot of things that he really wanted to do didn’t work on that night, but he is still one of the greats.”
One of the biggest surprises was Pereira’s lack of volume. While never known for high output, he typically pressures opponents with calculated strikes. Against Ankalaev, however, he was hesitant.
“If I was in his corner, I just would talk to him to keep his combinations more active because he’s so good,” Moraes explained. “I don’t think Ankalaev would support his pressure, but unfortunately, he let Ankalaev play his game and that was it.”
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Pereira’s title reign may have ended, but his story at 205 pounds is far from over. A rematch is already being discussed, though Jan Blachowicz and other contenders could complicate those plans. If Pereira gets another shot at Ankalaev, he will need to make adjustments—starting with being more aggressive and refusing to let the Russian control the fight.