Alex Pereira shuts down heavyweight move, third title fight at UFC 300: ‘Maybe someday for the future’
While appearing to put the brakes firmly on rumors of him making a heavyweight move at UFC 300 in April of next year, undisputed light heavyweight champion, Alex Pereira claims a move to a third Octagon division would need some significant “programming” – however, he failed to rule out a potential future climb.
Pereira, who began his Octagon tenure at the middleweight limit – and even landed divisional gold with a 2022 knockout victory over rival, Israel Adesanya, has most recently competed at the 205 pound limit – snatching vacant light heavyweight gold.
Headlining UFC 295 last month, Sao Paulo favorite, Pereira laid waste to the returning former undisputed champion, Jiri Prochazka with a blistering second round knockout win in the pair’s vacant title fight at Madison Square Garden.
And posting a cryptic message on his official Instagram Stories of ‘30+300+3” – fans began to suggest Pereira was set to make a stunning heavyweight move by gaining 30 more pounds for a UFC 300 clash with interim titleholder, Tom Aspinall, in a bid to become a three-weight champion.
Alex Pereira rules out heavyweight leap at UFC 300
However, putting a firm end to those rumors, Brazilian knockout artist, Pereira failed to rule out an eventual heavyweight climb, however, insisted UFC 300 was likely too soon and impractical to make such a leap.
“Well, [I] fought at middleweight and then [I] had to listen to [my] body to go up and fight at light heavyweight,” Alex Pereira told The Mac Life through an translator. “[I’m] a fighter, bro, [I’m] willing to fight. [I’ll] fight anybody, anywhere. But this kind of thing (a heavyweight move at UFC 300) – [I have] the height and [am] basically the size of a heavyweight.”
“But this is the kind of thing that has to be programmed, put some work in, it’s not something to just jump in on an adventure like that,” Alex Pereira continued. “[I] want to make [the move] the right way. [I] can definitely fight at heavyweight – maybe someday for the future. But it’s gotta be something [that’s] well-planned. So, right now, [I’m] focused on [my] light heavyweight reign.”
Who do you want to see Alex Pereira fight next?
