Tag: alex pereira

Alex Pereira Reveals Magomed Ankalaev Isn’t Getting Next Title Shot, Ankalaev Cries ‘Chicken’

While it’s not clear who he’ll be fighting first in 2025, UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Alex Pereira says it won’t be the man many see as his biggest threat in the division. “Poatan,” a former titleholder at 185 pounds, enjoyed a standout year in the Octagon. After being crowned a two-division king last November, the […]

While it’s not clear who he’ll be fighting first in 2025, UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Alex Pereira says it won’t be the man many see as his biggest threat in the division.

“Poatan,” a former titleholder at 185 pounds, enjoyed a standout year in the Octagon. After being crowned a two-division king last November, the Brazilian successfully defended the 205-pound gold three times in 2024.

Knockout wins over Jamahal Hill, Ji?í Procházka, and Khalil Rountree have left Pereira as a leading candidate for Fighter of the Year. But there remains one point of discussion used by his limited group of detractors.

Even prior to his win over Aleksandar Raki? in October, Ankalaev was seen by many as the most deserving of a title shot. With that not coming to fruition, some concluded that the promotion has been looking to ‘protect’ Pereira from the well-rounded game of the Russian.

And that fire has now had considerable fuel thrown on it.

Despite Ankalaev’s unbeaten run and place on the light heavyweight ladder, Pereira has seemingly heard from the promotion that he won’t be stood opposite the Brazilian next time out.

“It won’t be Ankalaev!” the light heavyweight titleholder wrote on X.

It didn’t take long for a frustrated Ankalaev to appear in the comments section, once again accusing Pereira of deliberately avoiding him by branding the champ a “chicken.”

“Chicken”

With a clash with Ankalaev seemingly out of the running, it remains to be seen what will come next for Pereira.

Given that the Russian sits as the clear top contender at 205 pounds, “Poatan’s” recent post could suggest a much-discussed heavyweight venture in pursuit of historic three-weight glory.

Alex Pereira Claims Next UFC Title Fight Won’t Be Against No. 1 Contender Magomed Ankalaev

Alex Pereira Claims Next UFC Title Fight Won't Be Against No. 1 Contender Magomed AnkalaevAlex Pereira is looking forward to his first title defense of 2024. After a monstrous 2024 that saw him…

Alex Pereira Claims Next UFC Title Fight Won't Be Against No. 1 Contender Magomed Ankalaev

Alex Pereira is looking forward to his first title defense of 2024.

After a monstrous 2024 that saw him bag big highlight-reel knockouts over Jamahal Hill, Jiri Prochazka, and Khalil Rountree, ‘Poatan’ is planning to go even bigger in 2025.

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Originally, all signs pointed toward Pereira putting his light heavyweight title on the line against top-ranked contender Magomed Ankalaev in the first quarter of the year. However, that may no longer be the case according to the ‘Brazilian Boogeyman.’

Recently, Pereira posted a clip from his fourth-round finish of ‘The War Horse’ at UFC 307. Interestingly, in the caption, he wrote, “It won’t be Ankalaev!” accompanied by a cry laughing emoji on Instagram.

 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by Alex “Poatan” Pereira (@alexpoatanpereira)

It’s possible that Pereira could be trolling Ankalaev, something he’s been known to do on social media from time to time.

On the other hand, Pereira’s words could be 100% legit considering his targeted return is in March 2025, smack dab in the middle of Ramadan — a holy month in the Islamic calendar that Ankalaev observes every year.

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If not magomed ankalaev, then who’s next for alex pereira?

Unfortunately, there are few other options for Pereira at 205. He’s already ran through everyone in the light heavyweight top five aside from Aleksandar Rakic and it’s unlikely ‘Rocket’ would get the nod after coming up short in his last three outings.

Carlos Ulberg already has a bout booked for March against ex-champion Jan Blachowicz.

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That just leaves Nikita Krylov, the No. 8 ranked contender in the division.

Krylov is sitting on a three-fight win streak with finishes against Alexander Gustafsson and Ryan Spann, making him the most viable title challenger outside of Ankalaev. Though most fight fans would probably agree that ‘The Miner’ still has some work to do before the UFC could justify giving him a title opportunity.

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Jan B?achowicz: Magomed Ankalaev Must ‘Change’ To Have A Chance Of Beating Alex Pereira

Following his win over Aleksandar Raki? at UFC 308 in October, it looks like the next time that we see Magomed Ankalaev, he will finally get his long awaited title shot against Alex Pereira. Many expected that this would be the next test for “Poatan” following his wins over Jamahal Hill and Ji?í Procházka earlier […]

Following his win over Aleksandar Raki? at UFC 308 in October, it looks like the next time that we see Magomed Ankalaev, he will finally get his long awaited title shot against Alex Pereira. Many expected that this would be the next test for “Poatan” following his wins over Jamahal Hill and Ji?í Procházka earlier this year but instead, he defended the title at UFC 307 by finishing Khalil Rountree Jr.

In Abu Dhabi, Ankalaev got his hand raised once again after sticking to his word and beating Raki? over three rounds by only striking with him. The Russian has continued to push the idea that when he eventually faced Pereira, he will do the same and will knockout the kickboxing specialist to win the 205-pound gold.

One fellow top contender who doesn’t think this that applying the same approach is the best idea is the former champion, Jan B?achowicz. In his last outing at UFC 291, “Polish Power” became the closest of anyone to beating Pereira at light heavyweight when he welcomed the former middleweight champion to his new weight class.

B?achowicz came out on the wrong side of a split decision and though he wasn’t able to land a lot of offense, he did have some success with his grappling and once he became tired, he was able to avoid eating anything too damaging from the Brazilian. B?achowicz gave his thoughts on that potential title fight in a recent interview with James Lynch for Home of Fight.

He believes that in order for Ankalaev to leave with the title, he needs to take more risks to really put a stamp on the fight instead of simply trying to win each round without taking damage.

“If Ankalaev will fight like last fight with [Aleksandar] Rakic, he’s going to lose the fight. He needs to do something more. He needs to be like, I don’t know, but – he is good fighter, but it’s not enough for Pereira in this kind of style. He needs to change.

“He needs to be more – he has to believe in that which he’s doing. I think he doesn’t believe. He just wants to win the fight, but don’t take too much punches. He is very careful in this what he’s doing and I think this kind of way, fighting with Pereira, will not work.”

Top MMA Coach Picks Joaquin Buckley As ‘Fighter Of The Year’ Over Alex Pereira & Ilia Topuria

Coach Eric Nicksick, for one, has been extremely impressed by UFC welterweight contender Joaquin Buckley’s efforts in 2024. Buckley closed out his year in style on Saturday night when he headlined the final event of 2024. Opposite him inside Tampa’s Amalie Arena was former interim champion Colby Covington, who planned on placing his name back […]

Coach Eric Nicksick, for one, has been extremely impressed by UFC welterweight contender Joaquin Buckley’s efforts in 2024.

Buckley closed out his year in style on Saturday night when he headlined the final event of 2024. Opposite him inside Tampa’s Amalie Arena was former interim champion Colby Covington, who planned on placing his name back into title contention a year on from a third failed bid for undisputed status.

“Chaos” didn’t succeed in that ambition, however, with Buckley dominating him in the opening two rounds before a deep cut sustained just above Covington’s right eye proved too bad for him to continue.

With the result, “New Mansa” has gone 4-0 this year, having previously knocked out Vicente Luque, outpointed Nursulton Ruziboev, and stopped Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson.

And according to Nicksick, that’s elevated him not only into the “Fighter of the Year” discussion, but above both consensus leading candidates Alex Pereira and Ilia Topuria.

“Real talk, @Newmansa94 (Buckley) resurrection needs to be studied,” Nicksick wrote on X. “6-0 in a new division w/ 4 stoppages, 4-0 in 2024. Ladies and Gentlemen, he’s your 2024 Fighter of the Year. I’m out”

Pereira, the reigning light heavyweight kingpin, has staked his claim with three title defenses in 2024. After knockouts of Jamahal Hill and Ji?í Procházka, “Poatan” most recently came from behind to batter Khalil Rountree in round four of their headline battle this past October.

Topuria, meanwhile, seemingly has the edge over the Brazilian in terms of competition level. Though he’s fought once less than Pereira, the Spaniard dethroned the highly regarded Alexander Volkanovski in brutal fashion before becoming the first man to knock out Max Holloway to retain the featherweight gold.

But taking into account his career revival since dropping to 170 pounds, Buckley appears to have the vote of one renowned trainer in the fight game.

Watch: Alex Pereira Dances with K-Pop Group tripleS

Watch: Alex Pereira Dances with K Pop Group tripleSIn a surprising crossover moment, UFC champion Alex Pereira was spotted dancing with South Korean girl group tripleS, blending…

Watch: Alex Pereira Dances with K Pop Group tripleS

In a surprising crossover moment, UFC champion Alex Pereira was spotted dancing with South Korean girl group tripleS, blending the worlds of combat sports and K-pop. tripleS, a 24-member group under MODHAUS.

Alex Pereira Dances with K-Pop Group tripleS

tripleS has made waves in the K-pop scene with its decentralized structure. Launched in 2023, the group allows fans to vote on everything from song selections to sub-unit formations through their app, Cosmos. This model has fascinated global fans, propelling tripleS to international attention.

In December 2024, Pereira, who is a two-division UFC champion, was seen joining the group in a fun, unexpected dance collaboration. Known for his striking power and impressive MMA career, Pereira’s participation in the dance came as a surprise to many fans of both the UFC and K-pop.

The full 24-member debut of tripleS occurred in May 2024 with their album ASSEMBLE24, marking a milestone in their journey. The K-pop group’s unique concept continues to set them apart from others in the industry, with their fan-driven approach. tripleS has quickly become one of the most talked-about K-pop groups, as evidenced by their Best New Female Artist win at the 2023 MAMA Awards. As of October 2024, tripleS had sold a total of 718,241 copies in South Korea across all their releases.

Alex Pereira, who is currently the UFC Light Heavyweight Champion and a former Middleweight Champion, has proven that his versatility extends beyond the octagon.

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SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH – OCTOBER 05: Alex Pereira of Brazil reacts after his TKO victory against Khalil Rountree Jr. in the UFC light heavyweight championship fight during the UFC 307 event at Delta Center on October 05, 2024 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)

Alex Pereira Gives 4-Word Reaction To Jamahal Hill Altercation

December 5 was a busy day for the UFC’s light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira in the fight capital of the world. “Poatan” was in attendance for the 16th annual World MMA Awards where he picked up the Fighter of the Year Award for the four wins that he achieved in the space of one calendar […]

December 5 was a busy day for the UFC’s light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira in the fight capital of the world. “Poatan” was in attendance for the 16th annual World MMA Awards where he picked up the Fighter of the Year Award for the four wins that he achieved in the space of one calendar year.

Before the ceremony got underway, a training session of his at the UFC Performance Institute nearly ended in him and his former opponent, Jamahal Hill, coming to blows. A video of the interaction was posted by Full Send MMA, showing Hill walking over to Pereira and his coach, Plinio Cruz.

After the two men start talking, the Brazilian throws a pair of gloves towards Hill, seemingly beckoning him to engage in a rematch of their meeting at UFC 300 in April which Pereira won via a knockout in the first round. With Cruz doing his best to diffuse the situation, the two men never actually touch each other but it was clear from the video that the 205-pound champion wasn’t going to back down.

“Poatan” and “Sweet Dreams” have had a rocky relationship both before and after their main event clash in Las Vegas. The way that Hill acted on fight week clearly bothered the current titleholder as after stopping the former champion, he taunted him with an instantly iconic post-fight celebration.

Hill’s complaints about referee Herb Dean’s calls in that fight have only prolonged the feud between them and with him returning at UFC 311 to face Ji?í Procházka in Los Angeles, we may see the two men meet again inside the Octagon in the near future.

Pereira himself posted the video of their exchange on X, adding a four-word caption which when translated from Portuguese to English, comes out as “the atmosphere became tense”.