Did Alex Pereira Break His Toe in the UFC 320 Main Event? Dana White Reveals
UFC CEO Dana White confirmed that Alex Pereira suffered a significant foot injury during his dominant first-round TKO victory over Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 320 on Saturday night at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Pereira reclaimed the light heavyweight title in spectacular fashion, stopping Ankalaev at 1 minute and 20 seconds of the opening round with a crushing right hand followed by ground and pound strikes. The victory marked Pereira’s return to the top after losing the belt to Ankalaev by unanimous decision in March 2025.
Did Alex Pereira Break His Toe in the UFC 320 Main Event?
However, the triumph came at a cost. Immediately after referee Herb Dean stopped the fight, cameras captured Pereira crouching down and grabbing at his toes, attempting to adjust the position of his foot. The Brazilian champion was later spotted backstage wearing a walking boot, raising concerns about the severity of the injury.
During the post-fight press conference, White addressed the injury without mincing words: “He definitely either dislocated or broke his toes or something. I don’t know that for a fact, but I saw what all of you saw and it definitely looked like he f***ed his toes up.”
Pereira himself provided more details about the injury during media interviews following his victory. Speaking through an interpreter, the new champion explained how the injury occurred during his strategic attack on Ankalaev’s legs. “It’s my foot, and I’m pretty sure it’s broken,” Pereira stated. I had a good plan inspired by what Jan Blachowicz did. The inside calf kicks were working. I threw a few of those, and then he switched stances, which put me in the wrong position. I tried another kick to his lead leg, but it hit the tip of my foot, and I think it’s broken.”
The injury represents a concerning pattern for Pereira, who has previously dealt with similar foot problems. During his rematch with Jiri Prochazka at UFC 303 in June 2024, Pereira dislocated his toe after landing the head kick that knocked out his opponent. Prior to UFC 300 in April 2024, Pereira revealed he had broken bones in two of his toes – one during training camp and another during his fight with Jamahal Hill – yet still managed to score a first-round knockout.
Medical experts note that the human foot contains 26 bones, and depending on which specific bones may have been fractured, Pereira could face a recovery period ranging from six to 12 weeks. This timeline could potentially delay his next fight and impact his plans to move up to the heavyweight division, where he has expressed interest in facing Jon Jones at a proposed UFC White House card in 2026.
The injury adds another chapter to Pereira’s reputation for fighting through significant physical ailments. His manager Jorge Guimarães has stated that Pereira going into fights injured has become routine, with the Brazilian rarely complaining about his condition. Before his loss to Ankalaev in March, Pereira was dealing with multiple injuries including a stress fracture in his tibia and had fallen ill while in Australia, requiring antibiotics less than two weeks before the fight.
Despite the foot injury, Pereira’s performance at UFC 320 demonstrated why he remains one of the most feared strikers in mixed martial arts. The victory made him only the third fighter in UFC history to win the light heavyweight title multiple times, joining Jon Jones and Chuck Liddell in that exclusive group. The Brazilian’s ability to secure such a dominant finish while potentially fighting through a broken foot only adds to his growing legend as one of the toughest competitors in the sport.
Further medical examination will determine the exact extent of Pereira’s foot injury and establish a timeline for his return to competition. For now, the newly crowned champion will focus on recovery while contemplating his next move.
