What next? – there comes a point when every UFC fighter is faced with this question. Sometimes, it’s because he or she has done everything they possibly could in the sport. And sometimes, it’s because they suffered a devastating loss. Unfortunately, for Alex Pereira, it’s the latter. After winning 5 back-to-back fights at light heavyweight realm and defending the LHW championship belt thrice, Pereira was forced to concede defeat at UFC 313.
Magomed Ankalaev, the new light heavyweight champion, secured a win by unanimous decision and showcased a set of skills that seemed superior to that of Pereira. However, not everything is lost for ‘Poatan’. The man with the hands of stone has a chance to bounce back into action. Who knows, he might even find his way back to the light heavyweight throne. So, who should the former Brazilian champion go up against in his next fight? Let’s take a look at it.
1. Heavyweight bout against Tom Aspinall
Ok, you might argue with me on this one. Why would Pereira get a heavyweight shot after a loss? Because time is money in this game, and Pereira’s activity over the last year or so stemmed from his desire to accomplish as much as he could before hanging up his gloves. Nobody will really take anything away from him for losing a close (and disputed) decision to Ankalaev. Besides, Aspinall vs. Pereira is easily more exciting.
Fighting Tom Aspinall at heavyweight could get Alex Pereira a chance to become a three-division champion. That is to say, the UFC makes Aspinall vs. Jon Jones and Aspinall wins the belt. Or, the winner of Aspinall vs. Pereira gets a shot at Jon Jones and the title.
You have to make hay while the sun shines, and it is still shining on Alex Pereira after UFC 313. His stock has not dipped much, so perhaps he should move up a weight class like he did after his last loss at 185 lbs to Israel Adesanya. Chael Sonnen predicted as much recently. No doubt, he’d be the first fighter to hold titles in 3 divisions in the UFC if he wins. And that would sweep aside this narrow loss to Ankalaev.
Back when ‘Poatan’ was still the champion, he revealed that he wanted to fight a champion in the HW division. If Jones remained the champ, he’d want to fight him. And if the Britisher managed to defeat ‘Bones’, Pereira wanted to fight the new champ.
Alex Pereira said, “I’ll fight anybody at heavyweight. But I’m the champion, and Jon Jones is the champion. If Aspinall was the champion, I’d want to fight him.” On the other hand, Tom Aspinall, in a conversation with talkSPORT prior to UFC 304, claimed that he was really interested in fighting ‘Poatan’. He said, “I absolutely want to fight him, but I’m sure there will be a time and a place for it.”
The fight between Aspinall and Pereira, if it happens, has the potential to become a superfight. It could attract massive PPV buys which could profit the MMA promotion. On top of that, it’d be a win-win situation for ‘Poatan’. He has nothing to lose, but has a chance to become an all-time great if he can defeat Aspinall.
2. Rematch against Jan Blachowicz
Pereira’s first-ever fight in the light heavyweight division was against Jan Blachowicz. The duo battled at UFC 291 and Pereira emerged victorious via a split decision. But a rematch between the two can determine who is actually the better fighter between the two. Of course, it’s a safer fight than Ankalaev, owing to the fact that Blachowicz, despite being a good grappler, isn’t as relentless as Ankalaev. Nevertheless, Jan did manage to take the Brazilian down at UFC 291. So he still poses a threat.
Alex Pereira and Jan Blachowicz | Credits: Imago
The Polish star has also fought Ankalaev, and just like UFC 313, it was a pretty close match. And he even claimed that his loss against Pereira was a robbery, which is why he wanted a rematch. Blachowicz said, “I want to remind people how tough I am. Because I think people forget that I won against Alex Pereira. He just won because the referee helped him, in my opinion.”
There’s little doubt that Pereira will get an instant rematch. The UFC 313 bout was not what many, including Dana White, enjoyed. Pereira has done enough at the division, and been a reliable star for the promotion. So, the UFC will likely oblige a rematch. If he does not get a rematch, he can fight the #3 ranked Jan for earning a title shot. There’s two advantages to this bout.
First, Pereira gets to show off how much he has improved in the grappling department after the first bout. He had a 100% takedown defense at UFC 313, defending more than ten takedown attempts from the new champion. He even tripped Ankalev down with a judo throw at the buzzer of a round. And second, it would be a good fight to get his confidence back before fighting Ankalaev again. And that brings us to the third option for the same goal.
3. Trilogy fight against Jiri Prochazka
Pereira and Jiri Prochazka have already fought twice, and both times, the Brazilian won via KO in the second round. But the probability of a third fight is pretty high. After claiming a win against Jamahall Hill at UFC 311, ‘BJP’ said, “I want a third fight with Alex Pereira.” The former Brazilian champion responded to that with his iconic catchphrase “Chama!”
After his loss at UFC 313, Pereira got an invite from Jiri for a last dance. This ‘last dance’ between Pereira and Prochazka could be the ultimate rivalry fight in the LHW division. And we know how much we love rivalry fights. ‘Denisa’ has also managed to get better and could come in with a fresh set of challenges for ‘Poatan’ if the fight does happen. With a 5-round event, this could be easily one of the most entertaining bouts for Pereira and Prochazka. A third win over the #2 ranked star would mean a confirmed title shot for Pereira.
Who do you think should ‘Poatan’ fight in his next bout? Is there anyone else that you’d like the Brazilian to go up against? Let us know what you think in the comments down below.
The post Alex Pereira Next Fight: 3 Opponents Lined Up for Ex-Champ After UFC 313 Loss appeared first on EssentiallySports.
