After a heated exchange, Luke Rockhold, the former UFC middleweight champion, has issued a challenge to Alex Pereira, the former titleholder in the division. Pereira had made a bold claim, threatening to finish Rockhold within a mere ten seconds. In response, Rockhold confidently stated,
“Give me 10 seconds on the ground and I’ll fcking kill that mo*****er.”
Despite retiring from professional mixed martial arts (MMA) in August of the previous year, Luke Rockhold remains confident in his skills and is eager to face Alex Pereira. Rockhold, who held the middleweight championship in both the UFC and Strikeforce promotions, has struggled a lot lately.
He left the UFC on a three-fight losing streak, with his final bout in the organization being a grueling encounter with Paulo Costa.
Luke Rockhold on potential bout vs Alex Pereira
Luke Rockhold claims he would ‘f—king kill’ Alex Pereira in 10 seconds on the ground https://t.co/mfYbRCeSJv
— MMA Mania (@mmamania) June 25, 2023
Subsequently, Rockhold transitioned to the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC), where he endured significant damage in a fight against Mike Perry, ultimately succumbing in the second round.
However, Rockhold’s overall MMA record stands at an impressive 16 wins and 6 losses. He has notable victories against respected fighters such as Chris Weidman, Michael Bisping, and Lyoto Machida. In comparison, Pereira has a record of 7 wins and 2 losses in his nine professional fights.
The potential matchup between these two former champions has generated considerable excitement within the combat sports community. While it remains uncertain whether the fight will materialize, one thing is clear. Luke looks unafraid to face a formidable opponent like Pereira.
While discussing how a fight against Poatan would play out, the AKA prospect simply said, “Pereira, it’s like any day with Pereira. Give me 10 seconds on the ground. I’ll f—king kill that mot****ker.”
Alex Pereira’s next fight
When Jan Blachowicz received word that former UFC middleweight champion Alex was moving up to the light heavyweight division, he immediately recognized the opportunity at hand.
Following a disappointing majority draw in his previous fight against Magomed Ankalaev. Blachowicz was eager to secure a matchup that would propel him back into the title contention mix.
Upon learning of Alex’s divisional move, Jan wasted no time and began making the necessary arrangements.
Blachowicz’s wish has now been granted, as he is set to face Pereira in the co-main event of UFC 291 on July 29. The matchup materialized after Alex made an impactful arrival in the UFC, earning a title shot in only his fifth professional MMA bout.
Much of his quick rise can be attributed to his longstanding rivalry with Israel Adesanya from their kickboxing days. Where Pereira emerged victorious against Adesanya on two occasions.
Despite having less experience in MMA, Alex capitalized on his opportunity by delivering a stunning fifth-round comeback knockout to once again defeat Adesanya and claim the UFC gold.
Unfortunately for Alex, his reign at the 185-pound division was short-lived as Adesanya retaliated with a devastating knockout in their rematch at UFC 287 in April. While a trilogy fight appeared to be a possibility, Pereira instead decided to move up a weight class.
Jan, curious about Pereira’s transition, is intrigued to see how the former middleweight champion will fare in the new division.
The stage is set for an exciting showdown between Blachowicz and Alex, as they both look to make a statement in their pursuit of future title opportunities.
Are you excited for the upcoming clash? Let us know in the comment section below.
