UFC313 – Pereira v Ankalaev – Las Vegas Alex Pereira prepares to fight Magomed Ankalaev in their 5-round main event bout at UFC313 – Pereira vs Ankalaev at T-Mobile Arena on March 8, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada Photo by Louis Grasse/PxImages/ABACAPRESS.COM Las Vegas, Nevada LAS VEGAS, NV United States PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxFRAxUK Copyright: xPXxImages/ABACAx
It looks like the injury bug has struck Alex Pereira once again. Fans will remember that the Brazilian revealed he was badly compromised heading into his UFC 313 title defense, competing with both a broken hand and norovirus. Commentator Joe Rogan even mentioned this again during Pereira’s UFC 320 rematch against Magomed Ankalaev. Despite those setbacks, Pereira bounced back in spectacular fashion, reclaiming the light heavyweight title in just 80 seconds, one of the quickest and easiest wins of his career.
However, the victory didn’t come without consequences. Moments after the fight, cameras caught Pereira adjusting his toe inside the Octagon, hinting at another possible injury. Now, the Brazilian has officially confirmed that the injury bug has returned once again.
Alex Pereira Sets Sights on UFC White House Showdown In June 2026
After becoming a three-time UFC champion, Alex Pereira was seen limping as he left the Octagon, suspecting that he may have broken his foot. Unfortunately, those fears have now been confirmed. During a Q&A session in Rio de Janeiro ahead of UFC Rio on October 11, the Brazilian revealed the full extent of his injury.
As reported by MMA Fighting, Pereira said, “I did an X-ray in Las Vegas and an MRI here, and we have a fracture on my foot, but I still don’t know what will happen, or how long it will take for me to recover.”
Alex Pereira on UFC Rio Q&A: X-ray and MRI exams confirm foot is broken, current plan is to fight Jon Jones at the White House.
— Guilherme Cruz (@guicruzzz) October 10, 2025
According to the Cleveland Clinic, a broken foot typically requires four to six weeks to heal, with recovery potentially stretching to 12 weeks in severe cases. Even after the bone heals, it can take up to six months before it can handle the physical demands of full training and competition. In a worst-case scenario, Pereira could be sidelined until April 2026.
Still, the Brazilian remains optimistic. Despite dealing with another setback, Pereira has his sights set on returning at the UFC White House event on 14th June 2026, as announced by Donald Trump. He also reiterated his desire to move up in weight and eventually face Jon Jones in a blockbuster heavyweight superfight in a chat with the UFC broadcast team after his title triumph.
He said, “I think it’s good to focus on this White House [date], it’s something that interests me. I think I’ll focus on this.”
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For now, though, Pereira isn’t fixating on any particular opponent. He said, “I don’t know who’s next. I’m focused on this fight.”
The broken foot injury was first mentioned by Pereira himself during the UFC 320 post-fight press conference. The Brazilian admitted that something felt off during the fight and explained exactly how it happened.
He revealed, “It’s my foot, I’m pretty sure it’s broken. The inside calf kicks were working. I threw a few of those, and then he switched stances, and I think I was in the wrong range. And I threw another kick to his lead leg, and it landed on the tip of my foot. I think it’s broken.”
This isn’t the first time Pereira has dealt with injuries inside the Octagon. When he knocked out Jiri Prochazka at UFC 303 with a devastating leg kick, he actually broke his thumb with the kick’s impact on the Czech star’s head. He then shockingly popped his thumb back into place right after the fight inside the Octagon.
Interestingly, Pereira wasn’t the only one battling through injuries at UFC 320. His opponent, Magomed Ankalaev, was also far from 100%. After the event, it was revealed that the Dagestani entered the fight with a broken rib, something his manager Ali Abdelaziz had hinted at beforehand.
On Monday, reports surfaced confirming the extent of Ankalaev’s injury. Léo Guimarães, a combat sports journalist, shared a video showing Ankalaev receiving rib treatment roughly 20 days before the fight.
October 4, 2025, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA: ALEX PEREIRA 13-3 of Sao Paolo, Brazil defeats MAGOMED ANKALAEV 21-2-1-1NC of Dagestan, Russia by TKO Strikes at 1:20 of Round 1 during UFC 320 at the T Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Las Vegas USA – ZUMAo117 20251004_zsp_o117_131 Copyright: xMikaelxOnax
Moreover, even Daniel Cormier confirmed that Ankalaev was indeed compromised leading up to his title defense. Sources later told MMA Fighting that the Dagestani contender could barely spar in the lead-up to UFC 320, further highlighting how both men stepped into the Octagon while seriously compromised.