A Super Bowl-winning receiver got the MMA casual fan treatment after a head-scratching take while watching UFC 313.
Alex Pereira‘s upset defeat to Magomed Ankalaev resulted in a variety of takes about how things transpired in the UFC 313 main event. But after a Super Bowl-winning receiver took a bizarre stance on Ankalaev’s victory, it didn’t take long for fans to go wild on social media.
Ankalaev brought Pereira’s history-making light heavyweight title reign to a stunning halt at UFC 313 in Las Vegas. In a back-and-forth war from start to finish, Ankalaev earned the nod on all three judges’ scorecards, despite some fans believing Pereira did enough to retain the belt.
Ankalaev’s long unbeaten streak was capped off with a surprising title victory at UFC 313. It snapped Pereira’s undefeated light heavyweight tenure in the Octagon and was the Brazilian’s first MMA defeat since a knockout loss to Israel Adesanya at UFC 287.
Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC
Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC
Kansas City Chiefs vet Gehrig Dieter triggers fans with UFC 313 take
Despite many believing Ankalaev would implement a wrestling-heavy approach against Pereira, roughly 90 percent of the fight took place on the feet. Ankalaev stunned Pereira early on, nearly knocking down the light heavyweight titleholder with a clean punch.
Ankalaev and Pereira did exchange powerful clinch shots during numerous exchanges in the fight. Ankalaev’s clinch control helped propel him to a win on the scorecards, especially in the championship rounds, as Pereira looked for a late finish.
Former Kansas City Chiefs receiver Gehrig Dieter, an avid UFC and MMA fan, felt differently about Ankalaev’s win.
“UFC being ruined by these grapplers,” Dieter posted after Ankalaev’s win.
It didn’t take long for fans to set him straight on social media.
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“This is the worst take I have ever heard,” one fan wrote.
“You like dudes hugging for 3 rounds??” Dieter responded.
“It doesn’t matter if it is exciting it is the sport,” another fan replied. “The most exciting play in football is the deep ball so from now on NFL teams should only be able to chuck the ball downfield.”
“You lost money [LAUGHS],” another follower said.
“Go watch kickboxing, grappling is part of the game bud.”
“There was not one moment the fight was on the ground btw.”
“IT IS CALLED MMA, YOU SHOULD QUIT UFC AND WATCH BOXING.”
“You need to watch more UFC.”
“It’s MMA not boxing.”
“Learn to grapple then lol.”
“They were standing the whole time and boxing the majority of that time.”
Dieter was part of the Chiefs’ Super Bowl-winning team during the 2019-2020 NFL season, as the Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl 54. Dieter spent multiple stints with the Chiefs before retiring from professional football in June 2022.
Dana White teases Alex Pereira’s next fight after UFC 313 defeat
After Pereira’s loss, UFC CEO Dana White embraced the concept of an immediate rematch between he and Ankalaev. If Pereira was victorious at UFC 313, he would’ve snapped Jon Jones‘s light heavyweight record for the shortest time to defend the belt four times.
Pereira seems in good spirits despite losing the title, admitting that he’ll ‘make some adjustments’ for a rematch with Ankalaev. Before UFC 313, Pereira defeated Jamahal Hill, Jiří Procházka, and Khalil Rountree Jr. during his title reign.
As for Ankalaev, his UFC 313 title win caps off an ongoing 14-fight unbeaten streak. He became the third Dagestani fighter in UFC history to win a championship belt.