If any additional proof of Alex
Pereira’s energy wanted, it has arrived within the type of
affirmation from Glover
Teixeira.
The tempo at which Pereira rose to
Final Combating Championship stardom is arguably
unprecedented. Pereira had simply 4 MMA fights to his identify when he
made his UFC debut in 2021. The Brazilian went on to defeat former
Glory Kickboxing foe Israel
Adesanya to win the middleweight title inside a 12 months of his UFC
debut.
Whereas “Poatan” misplaced the title of their fast rematch, he has
since established a lightweight heavyweight title reign. Teixeira, who’s
Pereira’s coach and mentor, misplaced the sunshine heavyweight title by way of
submission towards Jiri
Prochazka and retired after a subsequent failed bid for the
vacant belt towards Jamahal
Hill. Pereira went on to avenge each losses, successful the vacant
title towards Prochazka earlier than defending it towards Hill. He additionally
defeated Prochazka in a rematch at UFC
303. All three of these aforementioned victories got here by way of
stoppage.
UFC 307:
Pereira vs. Rountree Jr. Saturday at 10 ET on ESPN+. Order
Now!
Subsequent, Pereira will defend his mild heavyweight strap towards
Khalil
Rountree in the principle occasion at UFC 307
on Saturday on the Delta Heart in Salt Lake Metropolis, Utah. The champ
has additionally expressed curiosity in shifting again all the way down to middleweight to
problem Dricus Du
Plessis for the 185-pound title sooner or later. Teixeira was
lately requested if a possible transfer as much as heavyweight can also be within the
playing cards for his pal and pupil. The previous champ believes Pereira
is able to something that he places his thoughts to, together with shifting
as much as heavyweight. Whereas Teixeira acknowledges that lots of people
have knockout energy at heavyweight, he believes Pereira is on
one other stage.
“To be trustworthy, I’m assured that he can do something he needs,”
Teixeira lately informed The Schmo. “He can battle at
heavyweight and destroy the heavyweights there. As a result of the
energy, the flexibility to learn the opponents, and [go] out and in,
and the facility, he’s extra highly effective than any heavyweight I skilled
with. After all, any heavyweight, Tom
Aspinall, Stipe [Miocic] have KO energy as effectively. However Alex is method
up there.”
