MMA
UFC 320 Recap: Alex Pereira & Merab Dvalishvili Deliver Statement Wins
UFC 320 delivered a night to remember, with four of the five main card bouts ending in spectacular finishes. Headlining the event, Alex Pereira demolished Magomed Ankalaev in just 80 seconds to reclaim the light heavyweight title. In the co-main event, Merab Dvalishvili extended his dominance over the bantamweight division, annihilating Cory Sandhagen to retain his 135-pound strap.
The card also featured a wild showdown between former champion Jiri Prochazka and Khalil Rountree Jr, where Prochazka pulled off one of the craziest comebacks to send the former title challenger into the shadow realm. Alongside these highlight moments, the event featured elite talent, including Josh Emmett, Youssef Zalal, and Joe Pyfer. Here’s a closer look at how the night unfolded, starting with the headliners.
UFC 320 Results: Breaking Down the Main and Co-Main Event Showdowns
Just seven months after losing his light heavyweight crown in a flat performance against Ankalaev at UFC 313, Pereira roared back in unforgettable fashion at UFC 320. On Saturday night inside the T-Mobile Arena, the Brazilian reclaimed the belt with a breathtaking finish, stopping Ankalaev at just 1 minute 20 seconds of Round 1 with a brutal combination of punches and 12-6 elbows, then adding insult by mocking the fallen ex-champion.
The victory makes Pereira a three-time UFC champion and solidifies his place as one of the sport’s biggest attractions heading into 2025. It is safe to say that Pereira had learned from their first meeting in March. He came in with ruthless intent, chopping Ankalaev’s legs with heavy kicks and pressing forward with confidence.
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Less than a minute in, a looping right hand staggered the Dagestani and forced a desperate takedown attempt, which Pereira easily stuffed. From there, the Brazilian smelled blood. He swarmed Ankalaev with punches and rained down a torrent of 12-6 elbows until referee Herb Dean had no choice but to step in.
The finish not only handed Pereira his belt back, but also ended Ankalaev’s remarkable 14-fight unbeaten streak dating back to his debut loss in 2018. The moment echoed Pereira’s first-round destruction of Jamahal Hill at UFC 300 in April 2024, another knockout followed by a mocking celebration.
Beyond the theatrics, the numbers are staggering: eight title fights in just 12 UFC appearances since his 2021 debut, including wins over six former world champions, which include Israel Adesanya, Jan Blachowicz, Jiri Prochazka, Jamahal Hill, Sean Strickland, and now Magomed Ankalaev.
In less than four years, he has gone from debutant to two-division UFC champion, and now, the first man at light heavyweight to recapture gold since Jon Jones did the same at UFC 232 in 2018.
October 4, 2025, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA: ALEX PEREIRA 13-3 of Sao Paolo, Brazil, defeats MAGOMED ANKALAEV 21-2-1-1NC of Dagestan, Russia by TKO Strike at 1:20 of Round 1 during UFC 320 at the T Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Las Vegas USA – ZUMAo117 20251004_zsp_o117_032 Copyright: xMikaelxOnax
In the co-main event of UFC 320, Merab Dvalishvili once again proved why he’s called The Machine, overwhelming Cory Sandhagen with his trademark pace and wrestling to notch his third title defense of 2025. The Georgian dominated with a record-setting performance, landing 20 takedowns on 37 attempts on his way to a unanimous decision win (49-45, 49-45, 49-46).
For context, that tally is the most successful takedowns ever landed in a UFC title fight. It also came just one shy of tying Khabib Nurmagomedov’s all-time single-fight record of 21. With the victory, Dvalishvili extended his bantamweight win streak to 14 and tied for the fourth-longest streak across all weight classes, behind only Anderson Silva (16), Islam Makhachev (15), and Kamaru Usman (15).
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Dvalishvili’s 2025 campaign is now one for the record books. He became the first 135lbs champion to defend his belt three times in a single year, and just the eighth fighter in UFC history to do so. And he’s not slowing down: after the fight, he called for a fourth defense in December against rival Petr Yan, despite already having competed thrice this year.
Early on, Sandhagen showed glimpses of hope. He stuffed multiple takedowns in the opening frame and even edged the round on many scorecards. But Dvalishvili remained unbothered, flashing a thumbs-up to his corner at the end of the round as if to signal the real fight was only beginning.
In Round 2, the momentum shifted entirely. Dvalishvili ramped up his attack, unleashing a relentless mix of strikes and takedowns that drained Sandhagen’s energy. Between rounds, Sandhagen’s corner urged him not to try and match the champion’s insane pace, a near-impossible task against arguably the best cardio in the sport.
Oct 4, 2025; Las Vegas, Nevada, UNITED STATES; Merab Dvalishvili (red gloves) reacts after the fight against Cory Sandhagen (blue gloves) during UFC 320 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
It was in that same round that Dvalishvili crossed another milestone, becoming the first fighter in UFC history to land 100 career takedowns. To his credit, Sandhagen showed plenty of grit, fighting off 25 takedown attempts across Rounds 2 and 3 and rallying in the later rounds to finish stronger than most who face Dvalishvili.
Jiri Prochazka and Khalil Rountree Jr. threw down in a wild light heavyweight clash at UFC 320, with Prochazka scoring a dramatic third-round knockout. The fight opened with back-and-forth exchanges, as Rountree landed the heavier shots early, including sharp counters and body work that had Prochazka on the defensive.
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The former champion found some success with spinning elbows and kicks in Round 2, but Rountree’s power and counters kept him ahead through the first two rounds. With the Czech fighter down two rounds on three judges’ scorecards, Prochazka turned up the pressure in Round 3.
Oct 4, 2025; Las Vegas, Nevada, UNITED STATES; Jiri Prochazka (red gloves) reacts after the fight against Khalil Rountree Jr (blue gloves) during UFC 320 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
A sneaky uppercut rocked Rountree, and from there the former 205lbs kingpin stormed forward with knees to the body, crushing elbows, and relentless combinations. Rountree wilted under the assault, eventually collapsing face-first after a clean 2-3 combination. It was a strange but classic Prochazka performance and could very well result in a trilogy bout with Pereira down the line for gold.
UFC 320: All Main Card and Undercard Quick Results
Featherweight: Youssef Zalal beat Josh Emmett via armbar (1:38 into round one)
Middleweight: Joe Pyfer beat Abus Magomedov via rear-naked choke (1:44 into round two)
Middleweight: Ateba Gautier beat Treston Vines via TKO (1:41 into round one)
Catchweight: Daniel Santos beat Yoo Joo-sang via TKO (0:21 into round two)
Bantamweight: Jakub Wiklacz beat Patchy Mixvia by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Middleweight: Edmen Shahbazyan beat Andre Munoz via KO (4:58 into round one)
Welterweight: Punahele Soriano beat Nikolay Veretennikov via unanimous decision (30–27, 30–27, 30–27)
Catchweight: Yana Santos beat Macy Chiasson via unanimous decision (29–28, 29–28, 29–28)
Bantamweight: Farid Basharat beat Chris Gutierrez via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Welterweight: Ramiz Brahimaj beat Austin Vanderford via submission (2:24 into round two)
Flyweight: Veronica Hardy beat Brogan Walker via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
