Chael Sonnen chooses Pereira over Francis Ngannou, Jon Jones as top heavyweight, Cormier responds: ‘You’ve lost your mind’
Despite his successful return to mixed martial arts over the course of the weekend, Francis Ngannou has been struck out of the list as the best heavyweight currently — according to Chael Sonnen, who picks light heavyweight champion, Alex Pereira to take that crown.
Ngannou, a former undisputed UFC heavyweight champion, snapped a two-year-plus hiatus from mixed martial arts over the course of the weekend, winning the PFL super fight championship with an impressive first round ground strikes KO win over Brazilian phenom, Renan Ferreira.
And as for Pereira, the former undisputed middleweight titleholder and current light heavyweight champion, most recently featured in the main event of UFC 307, turning in a brutal fourth round knockout win over challenger, Khalil Rountree with a bloody display in the pair’s back-and-forth showdown.
Alex Pereira picked as best heavyweight in the world by Chael Sonnen
And long-linked with a massive move to the heavyweight limit in a bid to become a three-weight champion, Pereira, who has yet to make good on a leap to the weight class, can already hold the moniker as best heavyweight fighter on the planet — beating out both Ngannou and current champion, Jon Jones, according to Chael Sonnen.
“I’m going to ride with Alex Pereira,” Chael Sonnen said on Good Guy/Bad Guy. “Our heavyweight champion that we’re discussing (Francis Ngannou) has fought one time in three years, our other heavyweight champion has fought one time in four years and only once in the division. So for me to pick a guy that’s only threatened to come to the division is not as crazy as you think. I don’t think those guys can strike with him.”
Reacting to Sonnen’s claims, former two-weight champion, Cormier claimed the former title challenger was “crazy” for picking Pereira as the best heavyweight fighter on the planet right now.
“You’re going crazy,” Cormier explained. “You have lost your mind. Dude, that double leg Francis (Ngannou) shot that day [against Renan Ferreira] might take Alex down because he’s so big. I don’t believe he’s the best heavyweight — I think the best heavyweight is Tom Aspinall, still.
