During a live reveal on his Instagram, Dana White announced that Alex Pereira, the former UFC middleweight champion, will make his light heavyweight debut against Jan Blachowicz at UFC 291 on July 29.
The bout will serve as the co-main event for a stacked PPV featuring headliners Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje fighting for the “Baddest Motherf***er” title (BMF).
The card is also set to include notable names such as Paulo Costa, Tony Ferguson, and Kevin Holland. Pereira’s move up in weight class comes after concerns grew around his ability to make immense weight cuts, and the fighter himself promised fans that his next fight would be at light heavyweight.
Poirier vs Gaethje 2 is OFFICIAL!#UFC291 in Salt Lake City is going to be RIDICULOUS đ„đ„ pic.twitter.com/OYWxzUcJk5
— UFC (@ufc) May 16, 2023
“Many people questioned [my weight cut] …. now is a great moment to move up [to light heavyweight] …. I’m moving up a division now, and that’s my decision …. I’m not going up because I can’t make weight anymore, I can make the weight at any moment.”
Alex’s opponent, Jan Blachowicz, is a former UFC light heavyweight champion and the only man other than Pereira to have defeated Israel Adesanya in the UFC.
Alex Pereira ready to take on UFC 291
With both fighters having incredible knockout power in their hands, the matchup at UFC 291 on July 29 promises to be a thrilling battle. Blachowicz, who currently ranks third in the light heavyweight division, is a top-tier opponent for “Poatan”.
A win for either fighter would likely set them up for a shot at the title, making this a critical bout for both.
For Pereira, the fight represents a rare opportunity to become a UFC two-division champion. After losing the middleweight title to Adesanya, he is now looking to make his mark in the light heavyweight division.
There is quite a bit of concern about his ability to make the middleweight limit. But an effective move up in this weight class may provide him with a fresh start.
A victory over Blachowicz would put him in an excellent position to challenge for the title and cement his legacy as one of the best fighters in the UFC today.
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