UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira will defend his title against Magomed Ankalaev in the UFC 313 main event on Saturday, a fight that has been months in the making.
Beyond the championship stakes, the bout has gained further intrigue with a proposed charity bet from Pereira that Ankalaev has declined due to religious reasons.
Ankalaev secured his title shot with a 13-fight unbeaten streak, including recent wins over Johnny Walker and Aleksandar Rakić. Pereira, meanwhile, has enjoyed a dominant 2024 campaign, making three successful title defences and strengthening his case as one of the sport’s top pound-for-pound fighters.
The rivalry between Pereira and Ankalaev has built over time, with both fighters engaging in pre-fight banter on social media. Pereira took the animosity a step further by proposing a $200,000 charity bet, challenging Ankalaev to pledge the sum to the winner’s charity of choice.
“Since you are so confident you will win, $200,000 to the winner’s charity of choice,” Pereira wrote on X. “Win or lose, this will help those in need. It’s in your hands, [Magomed].”
Ankalaev swiftly declined, citing religious beliefs and his own existing charity contributions.
“As a Muslim, you know betting is forbidden in Islam, and also as a Muslim, every year I have to give 2.5% of my wealth to charity—this is one of the five pillars of Islam,” Ankalaev responded. “Many kids around the world are in need, and we can do things after the fight, but we don’t have to publicise it.”
The back-and-forth adds further intrigue to what is already a highly anticipated bout. Pereira and Ankalaev are set to meet at the UFC 313 pre-fight press conference on Thursday, where tensions could escalate ahead of their showdown in Las Vegas.
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