Alex Pereira continues to lay waste to the light heavyweight division.
But despite his reign of 205-pound terror, punctuated by three straight knockouts, detractors are convinced that “Poatan” has the ground game of a newborn calf. That begs the question, why doesn’t someone just take Pereira to the ground and submit him?
Because it’s not as easy as it looks, according to Aleksandar Rakic.
“He did great things in the light heavyweight division,” Rakic told MMA Junkie. “He’s the most active champion we have right now in the UFC. He beat some really good names. I think the most important thing with Alex is to mix it up. Of course, everyone says, ‘Go wrestle him. Go grapple him.’ But, of course, he trains wrestling and grappling, as well, and he knows some defense and how to defend a takedown. It would not be so easy like the people would be thinking it would be… So with Alex, you need to be conditioned and very ready and you need to mix things up.”
Rakic could be next in line for a crack at the 205-pound crown.
That would require an upset victory over No. 1-ranked light heavyweight contender Magomed Ankalaev when they go to war at the upcoming UFC 308 pay-per-view (PPV) event, scheduled for this Sat. night (Oct. 26, 2024) at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi.
For much more on that upcoming showdown click here.