UFC 320 is set for a blockbuster night with two championship belts on the line. Light heavyweight champion Magomed Ankalaev faces Alex Pereira in a high-stakes rematch, while bantamweight king Merab Dvalishvili defends his crown against the dangerous Cory Sandhagen. Let’s break down these fights and look at the best bets to take.
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Magomed Ankalaev vs Alex Pereira 2 (Light Heavyweight Title)
Ankalaev won their first fight at UFC 313 by unanimous decision to capture the light heavyweight title, handing Pereira his first UFC defeat at 205 lbs. Since then, tensions have escalated, Pereira continues to talk about “Chama” as his identity, and Ankalaev has publicly declared he’s ending that narrative. The first fight saw Pereira able to defend takedowns consistently, but the threat of being taken down managed to affect his striking.
At 38, Pereira is older, which is a factor. Also, rematches historically favour the champion who already holds the belt (especially when the first match went the distance). Ankalaev, meanwhile, can lean on the confidence of having beaten Pereira already and look to close the fight more decisively. We see this fight going the distance, with the Russian retaining his belt.
Prediction: Ankalaev to win at 1.40.
Best Bet: Over 3.5 total rounds at 1.73.
Merab Dvalishvili vs Cory Sandhagen (Bantamweight Title)
Dvalishvili enters this as a heavy favourite at 1.27, riding a 13-fight win streak and already defending the title twice. His bread and butter is relentless wrestling and grind-style pressure. However, in recent build-up, he has signalled he might be looking to mix in more striking, even calling this fight “90 percent striking.” That shift could partially play into Sandhagen’s wheelhouse: Sandhagen is known for slick striking, combinations, pace, and footwork.
Merab should do what he does to every opponent; he’ll overwhelm Sandhagen with constant pressure and wrestling and win via unanimous decision.
Prediction: Merab Dvalishvili to win at 1.27.
Best Bet: Fight to go the distance at 1.28.
