UFC gentle heavyweight champion Alex Pereira isn’t up to now faraway from middleweight that he’s forgotten what it feels prefer to get right down to 185 kilos.
And for that purpose, the 205-pound champ thinks if he did wish to turn out to be a simultaneous two-division champion, going again right down to middleweight is the better path primarily based on the opponent – and that the one robust half about it could be making the load.
Conversely, if he went as much as heavyweight to chase a second belt – and a title in a 3rd division within the UFC, which is unprecedented – he’d at present be gunning for Jon Jones, himself a former gentle heavyweight champion. There, Pereira thinks, the matchup is harder than at 185 towards Dricus Du Plessis, however he doesn’t have the necessity to minimize weight.
“Dricus undoubtedly is a neater struggle than combating Jon Jones,” Pereira (11-2 MMA, 8-1 UFC) instructed the Full Ship podcast backstage at UFC 306 at Sphere in Las Vegas on Saturday. “I feel making weight might be more durable than that struggle.”
Alex Pereira calls Dricus du Plessis a clown and says he is scared to struggle him 😳
“Dricus is unquestionably a neater struggle than combating Jon Jones. I feel making weight might be more durable than [fighting Dricus]… I confirmed curiosity many instances however he by no means replies…
He exhibits that… pic.twitter.com/SyP64818rA
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) September 15, 2024
Jones (27-1 MMA, 21-1 UFC) fights former heavyweight champ Stipe Miocic (20-4 MMA, 14-4 UFC) at Madison Sq. Backyard within the UFC 309 on Nov. 16 in New York. Du Plessis (22-2 MMA, 8-0 UFC) received the middleweight title with a break up resolution over Sean Strickland in January, then defended it in August with a fourth-round submission of ex-champ Israel Adesanya.
Pereira has been one of many busiest champions in UFC historical past since he beat Adesanya for the middleweight title in late 2022. He misplaced it to him in a rematch 5 months later, then went as much as 205 kilos. That may make going again to 185 the most important take a look at, he mentioned – not the opponent. Du Plessis, he thinks, doesn’t take issues severely sufficient to make a proposed struggle lifelike.
“I did cease (combating at middleweight) as a result of I mentioned my physique was going to interrupt with two or three fights having to make that minimize,” Pereira mentioned. “Now I feel I’ve rested lengthy sufficient, I might undoubtedly do the minimize and make that struggle occur, but it surely relies on him. I’ve confirmed the curiosity many instances, however he by no means replied. The way in which he presents himself, he’s at all times joking in his response. He’s by no means severe. He’s at all times trolling in some way when the topic is offered to him. He by no means takes it severe, so he exhibits that he’s scared. So I requested the UFC to make me a greater struggle. (Du Plessis is a) clown.”
Pereira had one tune-up struggle at gentle heavyweight about 14 months in the past. Then at UFC 29, he beat Jiri Prochazka for the vacant 205-pound title. He defended it on quick discover within the UFC 300 principal occasion in April towards Jamahal Hill with a first-round knockout. Then in one other short-notice take a look at because of Conor McGregor drama, he beat Prochazka once more at UFC 303 in June.
Already, he’s booked for what might be his fourth title struggle in lower than 11 months when he meets challenger Khalil Rountree Jr. within the UFC 307 principal occasion Oct. 5 in Salt Lake Metropolis. He’s as a lot as a 5-1 favourite within the struggle – by far the very best odds in his favor of any of his UFC bouts.
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