UFC CEO Dana White confirmed that Alex Pereira suffered a big foot harm throughout his dominant first-round TKO victory over Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 320 on Saturday night time at T-Cellular Enviornment in Las Vegas.
Pereira reclaimed the sunshine heavyweight title in spectacular trend, stopping Ankalaev at 1 minute and 20 seconds of the opening spherical with a crushing proper hand adopted by floor and pound strikes. The victory marked Pereira’s return to the highest after shedding the belt to Ankalaev by unanimous resolution in March 2025.
Did Alex Pereira Break His Toe within the UFC 320 Primary Occasion?
Nevertheless, the triumph got here at a price. Instantly after referee Herb Dean stopped the battle, cameras captured Pereira crouching down and grabbing at his toes, making an attempt to regulate the place of his foot. The Brazilian champion was later noticed backstage sporting a strolling boot, elevating considerations concerning the severity of the harm.
Throughout the post-fight press convention, White addressed the harm with out mincing phrases: “He positively both dislocated or broke his toes or one thing. I don’t know that for a truth, however I noticed what all of you noticed and it positively seemed like he f***ed his toes up.”
Pereira himself offered extra particulars concerning the harm throughout media interviews following his victory. Talking by an interpreter, the brand new champion defined how the harm occurred throughout his strategic assault on Ankalaev’s legs. “It’s my foot, and I’m fairly certain it’s damaged,” Pereira acknowledged. I had a great plan impressed by what Jan Blachowicz did. The within calf kicks had been working. I threw a number of of these, after which he switched stances, which put me within the improper place. I attempted one other kick to his lead leg, nevertheless it hit the tip of my foot, and I believe it’s damaged.”
The harm represents a regarding sample for Pereira, who has beforehand handled comparable foot issues. Throughout his rematch with Jiri Prochazka at UFC 303 in June 2024, Pereira dislocated his toe after touchdown the top kick that knocked out his opponent. Previous to UFC 300 in April 2024, Pereira revealed he had damaged bones in two of his toes – one throughout coaching camp and one other throughout his battle with Jamahal Hill – but nonetheless managed to attain a first-round knockout.
Medical consultants notice that the human foot comprises 26 bones, and relying on which particular bones might have been fractured, Pereira might face a restoration interval starting from six to 12 weeks. This timeline might probably delay his subsequent battle and impression his plans to maneuver as much as the heavyweight division, the place he has expressed curiosity in dealing with Jon Jones at a proposed UFC White Home card in 2026.
The harm provides one other chapter to Pereira’s popularity for combating by important bodily illnesses. His supervisor Jorge Guimarães has acknowledged that Pereira going into fights injured has grow to be routine, with the Brazilian not often complaining about his situation. Earlier than his loss to Ankalaev in March, Pereira was coping with a number of accidents together with a stress fracture in his tibia and had fallen unwell whereas in Australia, requiring antibiotics lower than two weeks earlier than the battle.
Regardless of the foot harm, Pereira’s efficiency at UFC 320 demonstrated why he stays probably the most feared strikers in blended martial arts. The victory made him solely the third fighter in UFC historical past to win the sunshine heavyweight title a number of occasions, becoming a member of Jon Jones and Chuck Liddell in that unique group. The Brazilian’s capacity to safe such a dominant end whereas probably combating by a damaged foot solely provides to his rising legend as one of many hardest rivals within the sport.
Additional medical examination will decide the precise extent of Pereira’s foot harm and set up a timeline for his return to competitors. For now, the newly topped champion will concentrate on restoration whereas considering his subsequent transfer.
