UFC 313 is scheduled for March 8, 2025, at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. A much-awaited, collision between Alex Pereira and Magomed Ankalaev for the light heavyweight title is set to go in the main event.
Though many interesting matchups are already warranted in the card, discussions among the fans and analysts argue that one more credible fight could have thrown a little more meat into the fight night card. The last announcement regarding the co-main event where Rafael Fiziev replaced the injured Dan Hooker in UFC 313 brings with it questions about whether or not another credible match should have been appended to the card. In this article, some perspectives on this concern will be elaborated in detail.
Table of Contents
Overview of the UFC 313 Fight Card
- Main Event: Alex Pereira vs. Magomed Ankalaev (Light Heavyweight Championship)
- Co-Main Event: Justin Gaethje vs. Rafael Fiziev
- Jalin Turner vs. Ignacio Bahamondes
- Amanda Lemos vs. Iasmin Lucindo
- King Green vs. Mauricio Ruffy
Further, some good names are used on the undercard, such as Curtis Blaydes and Joshua Van, so it is quite a nicely put event together.
Rafael Fiziev replaced Dan Hooker in the co-main event
The replacement was announced after the New Zealander pulled out of the event due to a hand injury.
Dan Hooker is a seasoned fighter with a good reputation for having exciting fights and being incredibly competitive; of note. He’s being replaced by Rafael Fiziev, the rising machine lightweight of note. It’s not lost on the fans that they feel this is a step backward from every angle, especially for this lightweight matchup.
But if Rafael Fiziev had his kind of striking and he continued to perform like he did in his past performances, it would be the edge that would make him a qualified addition. However, it still doesn’t feel like there’s that kind of depth available in this card without any additional high-profile matchups.
The Necessity of a Strong Fight Card
A powerful fight card holds merit for a handful of reasons:
Fan Engagement:
Fighters are compelling matchups in entertaining pay-per-view events. UFC 313’s appeal would lay in just those matchups, as well as compelling storylines featuring popular fighters. If the absence of Hooker is seen to take away star power or competitive balance in this event, then perhaps one more credible matchup truly is needed to appease what might be perceived as a growing unrest among the audience.
Fighter Development:
The inclusion of up-and-coming fighters or established veterans can create further profile enhancements and develop new rivalries.
Marketability:
A multitude of different fights seek a number of different fans—more eyes, more wallets. Hence, the question now stands on whether another credible matchup could have heightened the already pretty good card at UFC 313.
Potential Candidates For Another Fight
The following are just some possibilities of fighters who might be best competent to step in and add an extra bout to the UFC 313 card:
Top 10 Contenders:
Top 10 fighters from their divisions will always be sure to raise title implications; making their names. Young fighters with exciting styles can revive interest in these events.
Rematches/Rivalries:
A rematch of past rivals who are looking to settle old scores would only really up the audience for the round.
Current Matchups Analysis
The fights already on the card of UFC 313 have some controversy, but most of them do not appear to have higher responsibilities beyond the title fight.
Pereira-Ankalaev seems like it will be a good bout; it may just overpower some of the other matches already set up for this event. Gaethje vs. Fiziev might pack an action punch. But unfortunately for both, they are not sitting on the title annex of either category.
Conclusion
In a nutshell, once the full list of fights for UFC 313 was revealed, that it was a really good made-up card. However even with the high profile fighters on the card it feels like the card needed to have one more credible match to make it even more exciting.
It is noteworthy to remember that booking a fight card is a very difficult task. But with more than couple of exciting high profile fights the card remains less affected due to replacements taking place during the final weeks. That last part might be the main reason why many believe that one more needed to happen.
Aditya Khare