Conor McGregor: Alex Pereira is UFC’s pound-For-Pound #1, poses serious threat to Jon Jones
Off the back of his spectacular knockout win at UFC 307, Alex Pereira should be donned as the pound-for-pound number one fighter in the promotion according to Conor McGregor — who claimed the Brazilian is likely a massive threat to heavyweight champion, Jon Jones.
Pereira, a former undisputed middleweight titleholder, headlined UFC 307 over the course of last weekend in Salt Lake City, landing his third consecutive successful defense of the light heavyweight crown in his second outing in Utah in just over a year.
Previously stopping both Jamahal Hill and Jiri Prochazka in devastating knockouts earlier this annum, Sao Paulo native, Pereira would batter and bloody challenger, Khalil Rountree at the Delta Center last weekend, stopping him with a barrage of strikes at the fence in the fourth round.
Conor McGregor touts Alex Pereira as big problem for Jon Jones
And remaining as number two in the official pound-for-pound rankings off the back of his win, Pereira, who has been tipped at the likely victor of the Fighter of the Year award already, should topple Islam Makhachev as the pound-for-pound pacesetter, according to McGregor — who also claimed he was a significant threat to Jones in a heavyweight climb.
“2024 has been Alex Pereira’s year, no one can deny that,” Conor McGregor told The Schmo during a recent interview. “If we go by that, forget belts or anything of that, it’s in competition. [Three] fights this year, four knockouts, I’d put Alex Pereira as number one.
“I think he poses a lot of problems for Jon (Jones) also,” McGregor explained. “That’s a dangerous style for Jon. But, it’s a decent one for him, because he’s not so big. Jon’s new to the heavyweight division, had a nice one [fight[ against Ciryl Gane, but still untested at heavyweight. And I’m sure in the back of his mind — some of these guys are really big. Alex is a nice one, and still a dangerous one, though. And at the core of it, it’s probably even more dangerous [than Stipe Miocic]. I’d be excited to see that bout take place.”
