There is plenty of UCF action on Saturday, March 8 when UFC 313: Pereira vs. Ankalaev takes place at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, starting with the preliminary fights.
The prelim fight card is scheduled to start at 8 p.m. EST and will be broadcast on ESPNEWS. Fans looking to watch can do so through FuboTV, which offers a free trial and $30 off your first month, or DirecTV Stream, which also offers a free trial. SlingTV doesn’t offer a free trial but does have other promotional offers available.
Fans interested in even more UFC content can find everything they want on ESPN+. In addition to having exclusive access to UFC pay-per-view events, it also offers on-demand replays of previous UFC events and original programing.
Main Event: Light Heavyweight Title Bout: Alex Pereira (c) vs. Magomed Ankalaev
Notable Undercard Fights:
- Curtis Blaydes vs. Rizvan Kuniev (Heavyweight bout)
- Joshua Van vs. Rei Tsuruya (Flyweight Bout)
- Brunno Ferreira vs. Armen Petrosyan (Middleweight bout)
- Alex Morono vs. Carlos Leal (Welterweight bout)
When: Saturday, March 8 at 8 p.m. EST
Where: T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas
Stream: FuboTV (free trial); DirecTV Stream (free trial); Sling; ESPN+
- BETTING: Check out our MA sports betting guide, where you can learn basic terminology, definitions and how to read odds for those interested in learning how to bet in Massachusetts.
What is FuboTV?
FuboTV is an internet television service that offers more than 200 channels across sports and entertainment including Paramount+ with SHOWTIME. From the UEFA Champions League to the WNBA to international tournaments ranging across sports, there’s plenty of options available on FuboTV, which offers a free trial, and $30 off the first month for new customers.
What is DirecTV Stream?
DirecTV Stream offers practically everything DirecTV provides, except for a remote and a streaming device to connect to your television. Sign up now and get three free months of premium channels including MAX, Paramount+ with SHOWTIME and Starz.
What is SlingTV?
SlingTV offers a variety of live programing ranging from news and sports and starting as low as $20 a month for your first month. Subscribers also get a month of DVR Plus free if they sign up now. Choose from a variety of sports packages without long-term contracts and with easy cancelation.
What is ESPN+?
ESPN+ is a one-stop shop for content from almost every single sport. In addition to on-demand replays of games across all sports shown on the ESPN and Disney family of networks, there is also exclusive access to select college football games, NHL games, soccer matches, UFC programs and the entire 30 for 30 catalogue. Additionally, there is ESPN+ exclusive original programing like NFL Primetime, Dana White’s Contender Series and The Breakdown with Peyton and Belichick.
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Pereira to defend light heavyweight belt against Ankalaev with grander visions beyond UFC 313
By MARK ANDERSON AP Sports Writer
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Jon Jones remains the UFC’s primary star, the reigning heavyweight champion widely considered the best mixed martial-arts fighter of all time.
Jones lost his position as the top-ranked pound-to-pound fighter to Islam Makhachev, but Alex Pereira could get there. It’s a case that UFC CEO Dana White made in January.
Pereira would likely have to beat Jones in the octagon, but the Brazilian has some work to do Saturday in UFC 313 before turning his attention to the possibility of moving up a weight class. He will put his light heavyweight belt on the line for the fourth time when he faces top-ranked challenger Magomed Anklalaev.
Oddsmakers list this as a close fight, with Pereira a -115 favorite at BetMGM Sportsbook and Ankalaev at -105.
“I’m not looking ahead,” Pereira said through an interpreter. “But what I think for the future, what I have in hand, fighting Jon Jones or Olek Usyk in boxing, those I see possibly happening. It doesn’t depend on me. It depends on the UFC. Whatever the UFC wants to do, I’ll do it.”
Pereira (12-2), who turns 38 on July 7, is making a late-career run at becoming the UFC’s marquee attraction.
He entered the UFC in 2021 and won four fights in a row, the last being a fifth-round technical knockout of Israel Adesanya for the middleweight championship on Nov. 12, 2022. Adesanya won the rematch with a second-round TKO on April 8, 2023.
But it didn’t take Pereira long to get back on track, scoring a second-round TKO of Jirí Procházka seven months later for the vacant light heavyweight title. He hasn’t lost since, and Pereira attributed that success to better understanding himself as he’s gotten older and making the proper adjustments.
Ankalaev (20-1-1) has been chasing Pereira to land this fight. The 32-year-old from Russia comes off back-to-back victories, one by TKO and the other by unanimous decision.
“I can’t even explain what I’m feeling right now,” Ankalaev said through an interpreter. “It’s been a really long time that we’ve been hunting this bout. We’ve been waiting for this opportunity. Over a year, we’ve been asking for it. Now we’re finally here and we have this opportunity, I’m 100 percent motivated.”
Pereira disputed that he had avoided Ankalaev, saying he wanted more than just this matchup.
“Many people have dreams,” Pereira said. “This Saturday, I’m fulfilling one dream — to fight Ankalaev.”
Ankalaev said he has mostly adhered to fasting rules as he observes Ramadan, which lasts a month and is considered one of the holiest parts of the Muslim calendar. He said he broke “a couple of fasting sessions” to drink water in preparation for this fight, but that most of his training occurred beforehand.
His faith is why Ankalaev said he didn’t take Pereira up on a bet in which the loser would donate $200,000 to the other fighter’s charity, which has created a little bit of a back-and-forth between the two combatants.
“Whatever this warfare is, it doesn’t work for me,” Ankalaev said. “I have a fight against him. I don’t care what he writes online or says online or tweets. If he wants to do some sort of a charity donation, I’m willing and happy to do it. Tell him that.”
The co-main event is a lightweight bout between third-ranked challenger Justin Gaethje (25-5) and No. 11 Rafael Fiziev (12-3). Gaethje was scheduled to fight Dan Hooker, who pulled out because of a hand injury.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
