Alex Pereira offers to fight Khamzat Chimaev at light heavyweight in Brazil UFC return
Recently minted undisputed UFC middleweight champion, Alex Pereira has offered to share the Octagon with undefeated welterweight contender, Khamzar Chimaev – at the light heavyweight limit, in a return to his native Brazi to boot.
Taking main event status at UFC 281 earlier this month at Madison Square Garden, Pereira managed to clinch the undisputed middleweight championship – stopping arch-rival, Israel Adesanya with a rallying fith round standing TKO victory.
Off the back of the victory, Pereira was linked with a future title fight against the undefeated, Chimaev, with the Chechen-born contender offering to make a stunning quickfire turnaround and fight the Sao Paulo native at UFC 282 later this month in ‘Sin City’.
Khamzat Chimaev has been offered a light heavyweight clash by Alex Pereira
Offering to make a fight with Chimaev a reality should the AllStars MMA staple remain keen on a matchup, Pereira, a former two-weight GLORY Kickboxing champion, has offered to make a light heavyweight return in a Brazil homecoming against Chimaev at UFC 283 in January.
“Okay, number one, he (Alex Pereira) said he’ll fight (Khamzat) Chimaev in Rio at light heavyweight, right,” Alex Pereira told Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour through an interpreter. “Not a problem for him – number two, I think Brendan Schaub was running his mouth, you know, I don’t even wanna translate.”
“So, here’s the deal, he’ll fight Chimaev in Rio at 205 (pounds), and he proposes to do a bet with Schaub.” Alex Pereira said. “$50,000 if he beats Chimaev. If we both go, and those 50k from both sides, we donate to kids in aid. Also, 50 more ($50,000) that he (Chimaev) will not take him down in 30 seconds, to donate to the charity too.”
Despite urging Adesanya to think about some time off following his knockout defeat in New York City earlier this month, Pereira insists if the City Kickboxing trainee wants to fight him next, he will oblige in an immediate title re-run.
