UFC Predictions: UFC 320: Magomed Ankalaev vs. Alex Pereira 2

The first UFC pay-per-view since August goes down in Las Vegas next weekend. Thankfully, this is a big one.

UFC 320: Magomed Ankalaev vs. Alex Pereira 2 features two title fights, as well as a packed card full of big names and ranked fighters.

If everything goes as well as it could, then this could be one of the best shows of 2025.

Here are the predicted outcomes for UFC 320: Magomed Ankalaev vs. Alex Pereira 2.

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#1. UFC light-heavyweight title: Magomed Ankalaev vs. Alex Pereira

UFC 320's headliner will see a rematch between Magomed Ankalaev and Alex Pereira, with the light-heavyweight title on the line. While this doesn't feel like a 'huge fight' as some of the older 205-pound title bouts did, it's still got plenty of intrigue around it.

So, will Ankalaev win to continue his title reign, or will 'Poatan' gain some revenge and snatch his title back in the process?

Naturally, it's worth looking at their first clash in March to get a feel of how this one might go.

While Ankalaev was given a unanimous decision win that night, the fight was a little closer than some might remember, and in fact, some outlets scored it for Pereira.

Overall, though, it's fair to suggest the Dagestani just about edged things. So how did he do it? Essentially, while he wasn't able to take Pereira down even once, it felt like the threat of the takedown meant that he could pressure 'Poatan' backwards for lengthy periods.

This meant that not only did he land arguably the best shot of the fight - a clean left that wobbled the Brazilian in the second round - but he also outlanded Pereira in terms of significant strikes. He also gained some clinch control, not that he did too much damage with it.

The big question here, then, is whether Pereira can make the correct adjustments to find the clean kill shot - probably a left hook - that he needs to win this bout.

Prior to this, Pereira had always been able to find the correct angle to land the big shot. Against the likes of Jamahal Hill and Sean Strickland - fighters who had major faults with their movement - it was easy for him.

Against Khalil Rountree Jr., a better technical kickboxer, 'Poatan' took a little longer, but eventually, his skills and timing shone through.

None of those fighters, though, possessed the wrestling threat that Ankalaev does. While Pereira did stop the takedowns last time around, will that still be the case if he opens up this time?

In all honesty, the best route for 'Poatan' to take here is likely the most risky. If he comes in looking to stop the takedown, or wary of its threat, the chances are that he'll lose in the same way he did in March.

Put simply, he can't let Ankalaev dictate the pace and back him up in the same way here. Even if he's landing some solid low kicks, the judges just don't like to see a fighter get backed up, particularly if they also give up clinch control.

For Ankalaev, of course, things are a little easier. He doesn't really need to adjust, he just needs to do what he did last time - back Pereira up, avoid the big shot, and threaten him with enough grappling to keep him on the back foot.

That's easier said than done, of course, but for a fighter as talented as Ankalaev - who hasn't lost since 2018 - it's definitely possible.

Overall, then, this fight is almost purely contingent on what Pereira does. He isn't naturally an all-out attack fighter like Jiri Prochazka, for instance, which means that taking the fight to Ankalaev might be a little alien for him, but if he wants to win, that's what he'll need to do.

Given that appears to be the case, the smart pick here would be Ankalaev. Despite this, 'Poatan' has always produced something special in the past, and even though he lost to the Dagestani previously, he'll have learned plenty in the fight - and he didn't let Ankalaev take him down.

Therefore, it's a risky pick - but the prediction is Pereira to reclaim his crown.

The Pick: Pereira via second round KO

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#2. UFC bantamweight title: Merab Dvalishvili vs. Cory Sandhagen

The bantamweight title will be on the line in the co-headliner of next weekend's event, and on paper, this looks like a truly fantastic fight.

Cory Sandhagen might not be the most popular or charismatic fighter in the 135-pound division, but 'The Sandman' is almost uniquely dangerous. The No.4-ranked contender is lethal both standing and on the ground, and he's also proven remarkably difficult to finish.

So, can he become the man to dethrone current champ Merab Dvalishvili? Or will 'The Machine' prove his dominance again and edge closer to being recognized as the GOAT at bantamweight?

To say Dvalishvili has been impressive this year would be an understatement. To be fair, the Georgian has been impressive for years now, and he comes into this fight riding a 13-fight win streak.

This year, though, he edged out Umar Nurmagomedov in his first title defense, basically outworking him down the stretch, and then dominated and submitted former champ Sean O'Malley in June.

A win over Sandhagen would probably make him the Fighter of the Year, in fact. However, this fight may be more difficult than it seems.

Sandhagen doesn't possess the one-shot kill power of O'Malley, but he's arguably a more varied striker than 'Suga', and is absolutely adept at timing knees on opponents going for takedowns. We saw this when he viciously knocked out Frankie Edgar, for instance.

More importantly, 'The Sandman' has a very dangerous guard, and notably caught Mario Bautista with an armbar in their 2019 clash.

If Dvalishvili takes Sandhagen lightly, then, he might be in trouble as the challenger is more than capable of taking him out in an instant.

However, it still feels unlikely to happen. Sandhagen's last loss basically saw him stifled by Nurmagomedov, and if anyone can simply copy that game plan and perhaps even improve on it, it's Dvalishvili.

Sandhagen will definitely scramble for all he's worth on the ground, but while Dvalishvili is unlikely to be able to submit him as Aljamain Sterling did, it's equally unlikely that he'll give up much control.

Assuming he doesn't get reckless and leave himself open, then, it's hard to imagine 'The Sandman' being able to stop the takedown and 'The Machine' from running a grappling clinic on him.

The Pick: Dvalishvili via decision

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#3. UFC 320: The Main Card

In a light-heavyweight bout, Jiri Prochazka takes on Khalil Rountree Jr. With Prochazka ranked at No.2 and Rountree ranked at No.4, this is a big fight at 205 pounds. In fact, if anything goes wrong with either of the headliners, Prochazka is expected to act as an alternate.

Assuming that doesn't happen, though, does 'BJP' have enough to get past 'The War Horse'? Rountree Jr. has momentum coming into this fight, as he essentially whitewashed former champ Jamahal Hill in his last bout.

However, where Rountree Jr. picked Hill apart using his brutal low kicks, he may find things trickier against Prochazka. 'BJP' knocked Hill out in their clash, and while MMA math doesn't usually work, it'll be interesting to see how Rountree Jr. reacts to a more proactive opponent.

Overall, Prochazka has struggled with low kicks before, meaning that Rountree Jr. certainly has an avenue to victory here. However, 'BJP' is so aggressive, and if he decides to really go after 'The War Horse', who has been knocked out before, it's hard to imagine him failing to find a way. The pick is Prochazka via TKO.

At featherweight, Josh Emmett faces Youssef Zalal. This may well be the last chance saloon for Emmett, despite the fact that he's still ranked at No.8. He was outclassed by Lerone Murphy in his last bout, and more to the point, he's 40 years old and hasn't won now since 2023.

Zalal, meanwhile, is unbeaten in his second octagon stint after being released in 2022 following a four-fight winless run. 'The Moroccan Devil' last outpointed Calvin Kattar and could move into contention with a win here.

Can he do it? Technically he's a better fighter than Emmett. He's a more technical striker, and if he can get Emmett down, he's a far better grappler.

However, he doesn't possess the coffin-nail power that Emmett does, and Emmett's wrestling is very good, bringing into question whether Zalal can take him down.

This is a close one to call, but sheer momentum means the pick is Zalal via decision. To see Emmett knock him out, though, wouldn't be a shock.

Finally, Abus Magomedov takes on Joe Pyfer in a middleweight tilt. This one should basically come down to whether Magomedov can keep Pyfer on the end of his strikes.

If he can do that, then the Dagestani is definitely capable of picking 'Bodybagz' apart or even taking him down for a submission. If Pyfer can get inside, though, his big punching power could prove to be a real issue for Magomedov.

Pyfer is still absolutely raw, and while he did beat veteran Kelvin Gastelum in his last fight, this one might be stylistically tricky for him, particularly as he'll be at a sizeable reach disadvantage. In another close call, the pick is Magomedov via decision.

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#4. UFC 320: The Prelims

Picks in bold

UFC middleweight bout: Ateba Abega Gautier vs. Osman Diaz

UFC middleweight bout: Edmen Shahbazyan vs. Andre Muniz

UFC bantamweight bout: Chris Gutierrez vs. Farid Basharat

UFC featherweight bout: Daniel Santos vs. Yoo Joo Sang

UFC bantamweight bout: Patchy Mix vs. Jakub Wiklacz

UFC bantamweight bout: Macy Chiasson vs. Yana Santos

UFC welterweight bout: Punahele Soriano vs. Nikolay Veretennikov

UFC welterweight bout: Ramiz Brahimaj vs. Austin Vanderford

UFC flyweight bout: Veronica Hardy vs. Brogan Walker

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