• 38-Year-Old from Brazil Reclaims Title with First-Round TKO Victory, Earns $50,000 Performance of the Night Bonus
• 34-Year-Old Merab Dvalishvili from Georgia Defends UFC Bantamweight Championship Title with Unanimous Decision Victory Against American Cory Sandhagen in Record-Setting Fight

LAS VEGAS, Oct. 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- One night, two title victories! Monster Energy congratulates MMA athlete Alex Pereira on defeating Magomed Ankalaev to reclaim the UFC Light Heavyweight World Championship title at UFC 320 in Las Vegas on Saturday night. In the Main Event fight, the 38-year-old from São Bernardo do Campo, Brazil, stopped his opponent via TKO within 80 seconds to take back the 205-pound division belt and earn the UFC's $50,000 Performance of the Night Bonus.

In the night's Co-Main Event, Merab Dvalishvili beat Cory Sandhagen to defend his UFC Bantamweight Championship successfully for the third time. The 34-year-old from Tbilisi, Georgia, dominated his opponent for five rounds to earn the victory by unanimous decision and retain the belt. Dvalishvili also set a new UFC record for most takedowns in a UFC title fight with 20 landed takedowns and 37 attempts.

UFC 320: Ankalaev vs. Pereira 2 was contested in front of a live crowd of 19,081 spectators inside sold-out T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Featuring two UFC World Championship fights and a total of five bouts on the Main Card, the spectacle was broadcast live on ESPN pay-per-view.

Monster Energy's Pereira (13-3) came to Las Vegas looking to reclaim his Light Heavyweight Championship belt after suffering a decision loss to Ankalaev at UFC 313 in March 2025. Previously, the Brazilian had successfully defended his championship after originally taking the belt from Jiri Prochazka at UFC 295 in New York City in November 2023.

The pressure was on for Pereira's opponent, Ankalaev (21-2) from Dagestan, Russia, in his first title defense. Undefeated in 14 consecutive fights, the grappling expert is notorious for his impeccable ground game. But could he withstand the fury of "Poatan" Pereira?

Pereira's aggression proved unstoppable from the start. After stopping Ankalaev's forward momentum with hard low kicks to the leg, the Brazilian soon found the perfect opportunity to unleash. A minute into the fight, Pereira rocked Ankalaev with a looping right hook and immediately took the Russian to the canvas. Seizing the moment, Pereira mauled his defenseless opponent with fierce punches and elbows from the top until it was all over.

Referee Herb Dean stopped the fight at 1:20 minutes of Round 1, ending Ankalev's 14-fight victory streak and pronouncing Pereira the winner by TKO for the UFC Light Heavyweight World Championship title.

"I told everyone I was not in a good condition last time. Nobody believed it. You saw it," said Monster Energy's Pereira upon reclaiming his UFC World Championship title at UFC 320, adding: "But tonight, I'm very well!"

With Saturday night's victory, Pereira makes history as the first two-division champion in UFC history to earn a second title reign in one of the divisions. Now a three-time UFC champion, the Brazilian claimed the UFC's Middleweight Championship title by defeating Israel Adesanya at UFC 281. Previously, Pereira was a WGP Kickboxing Middleweight Champion of the World. He held Glory Middleweight and Light Heavyweight Champion titles and has been named a Glory Hall of Famer.

Anticipation levels also ran high for the night's Co-Main Event with Monster Energy's Dvalishvili (21-4) stepping into the Octagon as the reigning UFC Bantamweight Champion in his third title defense. The Georgian had originally taken the belt from Sean O'Malley at UFC 306 in September 2024 and most recently cemented his reign by submitting O'Malley in their rematch at UFC 316 in June 2025.

Dvalishvili's title challenger, 33-year-old Sandhagen (18-6) from Aurora, Colorado, earned his title shot by defeating Deiveson Figueiredo at a UFC Fight Night in May 2025. Respected as one of the most consistent and technical fighters in the 135-pound division, Sandhagen presented a major challenge to Dvalishvili in Saturday's title fight.

The fight started on even ground as Sandhagen held his own against Dvalishvili fierce pace and relentless takedown attempts in the first round. In Round 2, the scales shifted as Dvalishvili began asserting his dominance. In a key scene during the second round, the Georgian pummeled his challenger with a heavy strike combo, followed by a takedown that Sandhagen managed to escape.

From there, Dvalishvili continued working Sandhagen on the strength of his notorious cardio and relentless takedowns. During the second and third round alone, Sandhagen escaped an incredible 25 takedown attempts and showed his grit by surviving the onslaught until the final buzzer after Round 5.

Following five furious rounds clearly dominated by the Georgian, the judges pronounced Dvalishvili the winner by unanimous decision (49-45, 49-45, 49-46). In the five-round battle, the Georgian fighter also set a new record for most takedowns in a UFC title fight with 20 landed takedowns and 37 attempts.

"I am a machine. I'm surprised at how much better I'm getting. I train hard," said Monster Energy's Dvalishvili upon defending the UFC Bantamweight World Championship title at UFC 320.

This marks the third successful title defense for "The Machine" Dvalishvili and sends a strong message to the rest of the Bantamweight division. Dvalishvili has now won four UFC title fights within 13 months and is heralded by sports reporters as one of the greatest 135-pound fighters of all time. Stay tuned for what's next for Dvalishvili!

Monster Energy's elite UFC athletes include Alex Pereira, Belal Muhammad, Dricus Du Plessis, Merab Dvalishvili, Valentina Shevchenko, Zhang Weili, Marlon Vera, Justin Gaethje, Brandon Moreno, Giga Chikadze, Johnny Walker, Sean Strickland, Dan Ige, Diego Lopes, Daniel Zellhuber, Derrick Lewis, Alexa Grasso, Raul Rosas Jr., Tatsuro Taira, Shara Magomedov, Patricio Pitbull, Maycee Barber, Aaron Pico, Patchy Mix, Jasmine Jasudavicius, and Kayla Harrison.

For more on Monster Energy's MMA athletes, visit www.monsterenergy.com. Follow Monster Energy on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, X, and TikTok.

For interview or photo requests, contact Kim Dresser.

About Monster Energy
Based in Corona, California, Monster Energy is the leading marketer of energy drinks and alternative beverages. Refusing to acknowledge the traditional, Monster Energy supports the scene and sport. Whether motocross, off-road, NASCAR, MMA, BMX, surf, snowboard, ski, skateboard, or the rock and roll lifestyle, Monster Energy is a brand that believes in authenticity and the core of what its sports, athletes and musicians represent. More than a drink, it's the way of life lived by athletes, bands, believers, and fans. See more about Monster Energy including all of its drinks at www.monsterenergy.com.

 CONTACT: Kim Dresser C: (949) 300-5546 E: kim.dresser@indiepragency.com

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