Throughout the years, the UFC has had several fantastic athletes, but Alex Pereira undoubtedly is one of the most captivating to watch. The former two-division GLORY Kickboxing champion from Brazil is renowned for his devastating power and aggressive fighting style.
However, his recent loss to Israel Adesanya at UFC 287 has raised questions about his future in the UFC middleweight division. In recent remarks on Alex “Poatan ”Pereira’s future in the UFC, UFC President Dana White said that he anticipates the fighter to go to the light heavyweight class.
Alex Pereira on the Move: Is the Light Heavyweight Division Ready for a Middleweight Monster?
White’s comments came after Pereira’s unsuccessful weight cut for UFC 287, where he missed weight by two pounds and lost to Adesanya in a second-round knockout. “I think that Pereira probably moves to 205 after this fight,” White said. “He’s a monster.”
Pereira has always been a big middleweight, and his move up to light heavyweight could be a game-changer for his career. He previously struggled with weight loss to 185 pounds, therefore an increase to 205 pounds may be the solution to his problems.
Despite his recent Twitter feud with Israel Adesanya, UFC boss Dana White says the plan is still for Alex Pereira to move up to 205.
Full story: https://t.co/5pbPCrbU1h pic.twitter.com/geyUiLoOWm
— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) May 8, 2023
Teixeira, the coach of Poatan, has also suggested that Pereira may go up to the light heavyweight class in the future, which might result in some intriguing contests. The move to light heavyweight could also give Pereira a chance to avenge his loss to Adesanya. The two fighters have a history in kickboxing, with Pereira defeating Adesanya twice before their UFC 287 matchup.
However, Adesanya was able to counter Pereira’s aggressive style in the Octagon, leading to the second-round knockout. Adesanya has also made comments about Pereira’s future in the UFC, urging him to move up to light heavyweight and cause some problems in that division.
Pereira’s move to light heavyweight could be the shake-up the UFC needs
“Go cause problems at 205,” Adesanya said. “Then f***, good luck to everybody else, because he’s a motherf***** to deal with. I’ll tell you that.” Pereira’s move to light heavyweight could also shake up the division, which is currently led by Jan Blachowicz. The Polish fighter defeated Adesanya in a light heavyweight title fight earlier this year and has since defended his title against Glover Teixeira. Pereira’s move to light heavyweight could also open up some exciting matchups against fighters like Anthony Smith, Dominick Reyes, and Aleksandar Rakic.
All three of these competitors are in the top five in the UFC’s light heavyweight class and might present Pereira with some difficult obstacles to overcome. In light of this, Alex Pereira’s switch to the UFC light heavyweight category may be a career-changing decision. He might pose some difficulties for the top competitors in the class due to his knockout ability and aggressive fighting style.
UFC fans will be anxiously awaiting to see what he accomplishes next, but only time will tell if he can successfully adjust to the new weight class.
