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The Brazilian fighter required just 82 seconds to recapture the light heavyweight crown after stopping Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 320.

This triumph came half a year after he suffered a unanimous points loss to the Dagestani fighter at UFC 313.

The 38-year-old, that had evidently learned from his defeat in March, acted immediately by landing a massive right hand.

The Vegas crowd exploded as the dual-weight titleholder shook the 33-year-old with a clubbing right hand before referee Herb Dean ended the bout following several hard strikes to the head.

"Retribution is never a good thing. I told everyone I wasn't at my best in our first fight but people doubted me, now everyone witnessed," Pereira remarked after his win.

"I expected it, I observed in the first fight. I don't like to make excuses but I wasn't well that night."

Ankalaev was looking for his thirteenth victory consecutively but connected with only two out of seven scoring blows, while 25 of Pereira's 37 found their target.

After entering the UFC in 2021, the Brazilian has quickly transformed into a top draw, becoming a two-division champion in only seven fights - a historic achievement.

After capturing the 185-pound championship, he transitioned to light-heavyweight and, following his title win, his three defences in 2024 led to him being named the UFC fighter of the year alongside Ilia Topuria.

The champion faced his biggest test in fighting his rival, with the opponent preventing the Brazilian from landing his huge strikes in their first fight - but this wasn't an issue the second time around, with he connecting powerfully of his adversary's head in the opening moments.

The challenger had stopped the champion's streak of three title defences inside a year in the first encounter but the ex-titleholder now has a second defeat on his professional history - and first since March 2018.

Currently tied at one victory each, a trilogy fight could decide who claims the ultimate superiority forever.

The Champion 'Aims to Compete at Heavyweight Division' - UFC President

Despite reclaiming the light-heavyweight title he surrendered in March, the fighter has eyes on transitioning another weight class to the heavyweight class, according to UFC chief the organization's head.

Before the rematch with his opponent, Pereira and his camp told White of his wishes to transition to the heavyweight division. White stated at the post-fight news conference: "He expressed he wants to compete in the heavyweight division but I advised to concentrate on this fight first. Opportunities remain in this division, but we'll see."

"He has been an exceptional athlete for us. He competes when injured, he doesn't care. He wants to fight all challengers and move up to the heavyweight class. There's a lot of things to talk about after tonight."

Upon questioning what his reservations were on the fighter making the jump, White answered: "He started as a 185-pound fighter - to advance two divisions in the organization, it differs from jumping up two weight classes in boxing."

"I'm not concerned but he competes in a weight class where there remain multiple matchups."

'The Machine' Merab Dvalishvili Persists to Make Mark in History Books

During the featured bout, Georgia's the bantamweight champion claimed a dominant unanimous decision over the American his opponent to defend his 135-pound championship.

The win was the champion's 14th consecutive win - taking him up to third for most consecutive victories in UFC history. Just two other fighters, on fifteen, and another legend with 16 sit higher.

The officials judged the bout with wide margins in favor of the titleholder.

"I'm like a machine. I keep getting better. My training is intense. I feel like I'm just beginning, I'm just starting and I continuously develop," stated Dvalishvili after the bout.

The Georgian, 34, spent the entirety of the fight on the front foot and consistently kept Sandhagen on the defensive.

Although the champion's self-assurance and impressive victory run, Sandhagen was not overawed and landed 23 out of 48 significant strikes in the first round, but the momentum shifted during the second round when the champion connected powerfully with a combination.

The American survived the onslaught but continued to be dominated, with the Georgian setting a fresh organizational mark for the highest number of takedowns in a five-round bout with twenty on the way to victory.