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The Brazilian fighter required just 82 seconds to recapture the light heavyweight title after stopping Magomed Ankalaev at the Las Vegas event.

The triumph occurred seven months after he experienced a decision defeat to the Russian fighter at their previous encounter.

Pereira, that had evidently learned from his setback in March, did not hesitate by connecting with a powerful right hook.

The audience in Las Vegas cheered loudly as the dual-weight titleholder stunned the his opponent with a powerful strike before the official called a halt following several hard strikes to the head.

"Revenge isn't a positive motive. I mentioned I was compromised in our first fight but no-one believed it, now you saw it," Pereira remarked following his victory.

"I anticipated this, I saw it in the first fight. I don't like to make excuses but I wasn't well on that occasion."

The Russian fighter was seeking his thirteenth victory in a row but managed just two out of seven scoring blows, while 25 of Pereira's 37 found their target.

After entering the UFC in 2021, Pereira has quickly transformed into a top draw, becoming a dual-weight titleholder in only seven fights - an unprecedented pace.

After capturing the middleweight title, he transitioned to light heavyweight and, after claiming gold, his three defences in 2024 led to him being recognized as the promotion's top competitor together with another champion.

Pereira faced his biggest test in fighting Ankalaev, with the Russian preventing the fighter from landing his huge strikes in their first fight - but that was not a problem the second time around, with he thudding the side of his adversary's head early on.

The challenger had ended the Brazilian's run of three successful defenses inside a year in the initial bout but the ex-titleholder now has a another loss on his professional history - and his first in over seven years.

Currently tied at one victory each, a trilogy fight could determine who takes the ultimate superiority permanently.

Pereira 'Wants to Fight at Heavyweight Division' - White

Although he recaptured the 205-pound championship he surrendered in spring, the fighter has eyes on transitioning an additional division to the heavyweight class, according to UFC chief the organization's head.

Prior to the second fight with his opponent, the champion and his team informed White of his desire to advance to heavyweight. The UFC president stated at the post-fight news conference: "They say he wants to fight at heavyweight but I advised to concentrate on tonight initially. Opportunities remain here, but we'll see."

"This guy has been an exceptional athlete for us. He fights when he's hurt, he doesn't care. He wants to fight all challengers and move up to the heavyweight class. Many considerations to discuss following this event."

Upon questioning what his reservations were on the fighter transitioning divisions, the president responded: "He started as a middleweight - to jump up two weight classes in the UFC, it differs from jumping up two weight classes in the sweet science."

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

'Machine' Dvalishvili Persists to Make Mark in History Books

In the co-main event, The Georgian the bantamweight champion earned a dominant judges' decision over the American his opponent to retain his bantamweight world title.

The win was the champion's 14th in a row - taking him up to third place for longest win streak in organization history. Just Islam Makhachev and Kamaru Usman, on fifteen, and another legend with sixteen rank above.

The officials scored the fight 49-45 49-45 49-46 in favor of the titleholder.

"I am a machine. I continuously improve. My training is intense. I feel like my journey is starting, I'm just starting and I keep learning," said Dvalishvili after the bout.

The Georgian, 34, spent the entirety of the fight on the front foot and constantly had Sandhagen on the defence.

Although Dvalishvili's confidence and daunting win streak, the challenger was not overawed and landed 23 out of 48 power shots in the opening round, but the tide turned two minutes into the second stanza when the Georgian landed heavy with a flurry of strikes.

The American survived the onslaught but continued to be dominated, with the champion setting a new UFC record for the most takedowns in a five-round fight with 20 on the path to winning.