Check out what ‘Poatan’ had to say about his disappointing loss to ‘The Last Stylebender’ in the main event of UFC 287 on Saturday night.
Former UFC middleweight champion Alex Pereira has sent a message to his fans following his disappointing knockout loss at UFC 287 last weekend in Miami.
Pereira was defending his 185-pound title against Israel Adesanya in an immediate rematch of their UFC 281 bout. That fight saw Pereira back Izzy up against the cage and hammer on him until the referee intervened.
As the second round of their rematch progressed, it looked like history might repeat again: “Poatan” was cutting Adesanya down with nasty leg kicks, pressured “The Last Stylebender” into the fence, and was unloading with punches against his opponent.
But then Adesanya struck back, hitting Pereira with a big right hand and then another, dropping the large Brazilian to the canvas unconscious. And just like that, Pereira’s flawless record against Adesanya was destroyed (watch the finish here). It was a pretty big knockout, and it took a minute for Alex to regain his faculties and recover.
“I’m just here to let you know that I’m fine!” Pereira wrote in a message on Twitter. “I want to thank my family, my team and all the people who are supporting me during my journey. Now I just have to rest and continue with the plans that are already on motion. Thanks God.”
Im just here to let u know that I’m fine ! I want to thank my family, my team and all the people who are supporting me during my journey.
Now I just have to rest and continue with the plans that are already on motion. Thanks god pic.twitter.com/xU4nELWPBj
— Alex “Poatan” Pereira (@AlexPereiraUFC) April 9, 2023
Attached to the statement was a video of Pereira and Adesanya speaking cordially following the fight, with Israel suggesting they train together so he can learn the secret of Alex’s nasty leg kicks.
There was no mention of what might come next for Pereira other than the continuation of their existing plans. In the past, his coach and mentor Glover Teixeira suggested “Poatan” would eventually move up to light heavyweight. UFC president Dana White also said he expected 205 pounds to be the destination for Pereira following this loss.
Adesanya was adamant that if “Poatan” sticks around at middleweight, he’s not getting an immediate rematch.
So we’ll have to wait and see what’s next for the dangerous Brazilian striker, but it’s clear that he’s not done on his MMA journey and still has plans to cause waves in whatever division he decides to fight in.
For more news and notes on UFC 287 click here.