Athletes
Where We Stand: Light Heavyweight Division | October 2025
Alex Pereira Returned Order To The Light Heavyweight Division In Emphatic Fashion At UFC 320
Alex Pereira restored order to his domain at UFC 320 with a dominant win over Magomed Ankalaev to get the light heavyweight belt wrapped around his waist again. The now two-time light heavyweight champion isn’t left wanting for contenders, though, as two eager challengers await their chance to unseat “Poatan.”
This is where we stand in the light heavyweight division:
Champion: Alex Pereira
Last Fight: TKO Win vs Magomed Ankalaev (10/4/2025)
Next fight: N/A
Alex Pereira Stops Ankalaev In The First Round To Reclaim Title | UFC 320
Unlock MORE of your inner combat sports fan with UFC Fight Pass! Fighting is what we live for. And no one brings you MORE live fights, new shows, and events across multiple combat sports from around the world. With a never-ending supply of fighting in every discipline, there`s always something new to watch. Leave it to the world`s authority in MMA to bring you the Ultimate 24/7 platform for MORE combat sports, UFC Fight Pass!
Alex Pereira Stops Ankalaev In The First Round To Reclaim Title | UFC 320
/
Outlook: “Poatan” returned to the dominant form he found in 2024 in his rematch with Ankalaev. From the start of the fight, Pereira seemed determined to make a statement and did just that, scoring a TKO victory inside the first two minutes of the fight. It was a resounding result that left few clamoring for a trilogy bout. What comes next will determine the course of the light heavyweight division for the near future. Pereira has made his desire to challenge for heavyweight gold clear, and few would scoff at a fight between champion Tom Apsinall and him should Aspinall thwart Ciryl Gane at UFC 321. Otherwise, he likely has the option to fight Carlos Ulberg for the first time or Jiří Procházka for a third.
FOLLOW @UFCNEWS: On Facebook | On Instagram | On X | On Threads
T-1) Jiří Procházka
Last Fight: KO Win vs Khalil Rountree Jr. (10/4/2025)
Next fight: N/A
Outlook: Procházka, for as much as he talks about improved defense, just cannot help but thrive the most when the fight is at its most hectic. The former light heavyweight champion fought a quirky bout against Khalil Rountree Jr. for two rounds but turned up the pressure and chaos for the third. He scored yet another stunning knockout win as well as a pair of Performance Bonuses, all while solidifying himself on the inside track toward a title shot. His road is a little murkier than Ulberg’s, as he already suffered two knockout losses to Pereira. However, his strength-of-schedule and fan-friendly style gives him a couple of footholds in the argument. If “Poatan” moves up to heavyweight, Procházka will almost certainly find himself in the mix for the vacant title.
T-1) Magomed Ankalaev
Last Fight: TKO Loss vs Alex Pereira (10/4/2025)
Next fight: N/A
Rise Of Magomed Ankalaev
Unlock MORE of your inner combat sports fan with UFC Fight Pass! Fighting is what we live for. And no one brings you MORE live fights, new shows, and events across multiple combat sports from around the world. With a never-ending supply of fighting in every discipline, there`s always something new to watch. Leave it to the world`s authority in MMA to bring you the Ultimate 24/7 platform for MORE combat sports, UFC Fight Pass!
Rise Of Magomed Ankalaev
/
Outlook: Ankalaev’s title reign was short-lived, but that doesn’t mean he cannot put himself in a position to capture it again. His long-standing unbeaten streak was legit, and he is absolutely one of the best 205ers on the planet. How he builds his case for another shot isn’t clear, but he has options. Ankalaev hasn’t fought against any current top-5 light heavyweight outside of Błachowicz, and their bout ended in a split draw. Whether it’s a rematch with him or a new face, Ankalaev could very quickly build his way to another title bout sooner than later in 2026.
3) Carlos Ulberg
Last Fight: KO Win vs Dominick Reyes (9/27/2025)
Next fight: N/A
Outlook: A 9-fight winning streak, eight via knockout, is a hell of a resume to put together for a title shot. Ulberg put a bow on his claim in Perth, knocking out the resurgent Dominick Reyes in the first round, and he was Octagonside for the title fight a week later. The New Zealander has looked sharp in each of his trips to the Octagon, and he’s a rare face in the top five who hasn’t yet had a crack at Pereira. His case for a shot makes the most logistical sense, but if the title is vacated, he also deserves to be in the mix for that bout as well.
4) Jan Błachowicz
Last Fight: Unanimous Decision Loss vs Carlos Ulberg (3/22/2025)
Next fight: N/A
Outlook: Błachowicz looked steady against Ulberg, his first fight in nearly two years due to injury. However, the former light heavyweight champion hasn’t had his hand raised since 2022, and at 42 years old, the clock is winding down on him. “The Legendary Polish Power” remains real, and it only takes a couple of big finishes to get back in the mix. A fight against Rountree Jr. could be interesting, as would rematches against Reyes and Ankalaev.
5) Khalil Rountree Jr.
Last Fight: KO Loss vs Jiří Procházka (10/4/2025)
Next fight: N/A
Outlook: Rountree Jr. didn’t just fight valiantly against Procházka. The American was up on the scorecards through two rounds before succumbing to Procházka’s pressure and power. Once again, however, Rountree Jr. proved he has the goods to hang with the best at 205 pounds, and he has plenty of options to cement his spot in the rankings. Whether it’s fighting backwards against Reyes, Aleksandar Rakic, or Azamat Murzakanov or fighting a former champion in Błachowicz or Ankalaev, Rountree Jr. still has plenty of big-time fights ahead of him.
In the Mix: Dominick Reyes, Azamat Murzakanov
Outlook: Although Reyes saw his momentum snapped in Australia, the former title challenger did well enough in the last 12 months to reestablish himself as a real player in the division. Once he decides to return, fights against Rountree Jr. and a rematch against Błachowicz make sense if he does try to fight up the ladder. He could also defend his spot against the oncoming Azamat Murzakanov, the undefeated and underrated Russian. “The Professional” is 5-0 with four finishes since scoring his contract via Dana White’s Contender Series in 2021. A dark horse, he needs a marquee name to fight and prove himself a force in the title picture.