In the co-main event of UFC 307, reigning women’s bantamweight champion Raquel Pennington puts her title on the line against former 135-pound queen Julianna Peña.
Pennington is set to make her first title defense since capturing the belt by unanimous decision against Mayra Bueno Silva at UFC 297 in January. The title was vacant at the time, following Amanda Nunes’ retirement.
Meanwhile, Peña is making her long-awaited return to the Octagon after an extended hiatus of over two years. She famously pulled off a major upset with a second-round submission victory over “The Lioness” at UFC 269, only to fall short in their rematch seven months later at UFC 277, losing by unanimous decision.
The undercard of this pay-per-view spectacle will feature an intriguing welterweight showdown between the seasoned Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson and the surging Joaquin Buckley. Thompson last competed at UFC 296, where he suffered a second-round submission loss to Shavkat Rakhmonov. On the other hand, “New Mansa” is riding a wave of momentum with a four-fight win streak since dropping down to 170 pounds. His most recent victory came by decision against Nursulton Ruziboev at UFC Fight Night St. Louis this past May.
Elsewhere on the card, Kevin Holland is slated to face Roman Dolidze in an intense middleweight showdown. Announced earlier this year, meanwhile, was a clash between undefeated featherweight Movsar Evloev and former bantamweight titleholder Aljamain Sterling.
With these additions to the card, the current fights expected to take place at UFC 307 in Salt Lake City on Oct. 5 are as follows:
Alex Pereira (C) vs. Khalil Rountree (light heavyweight championship main event)
UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Alex Pereira’s next title defense has come out of nowhere.
Pereira, who is also a former middleweight kingpin on MMA’s biggest stage, has had a standout year thus far, defending the 205-pound gold he won last November twice at the expense of former champs Jamahal Hill and Jiří Procházka.
Both victories saw “Poatan” save the day in late-notice headliners, first at the milestone UFC 300 event and then by replacing Conor McGregor’s planned return as the main attraction for International Fight Week this past June.
With two outings in close proximity, many were expecting Pereira to take a decent chunk of time to rest and recuperate. That, however, is not the case.
The Brazilian already has his next assignment in the calendar, with UFC CEO Dana White announcing on Friday that “Poatan” will put his strap on the line against the #8-ranked Khalil Rountree at UFC 307.
The event is set for the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, on October 5.
Pereira Targets 3 From 3 For Title Defenses In 2024
When he competes for the third time in six months, Pereira will be looking to likely cement Fighter of the Year status for 2024 by recording a third straight successful defense.
Pereira (11-2), a former two-weight Glory Kickboxing champion, only debuted at 205 pounds in the UFC just over a year ago following the end of his middleweight rule. A narrow victory over Jan Błachowicz was enough to book “Poatan” a spot opposite Procházka in a bout for the vacant belt.
And when they shared the cage inside Madison Square Garden, Pereira achieved two-division glory at record speed, adding a second piece of gold to his MMA trophy cabinet just two years on from his opening Octagon appearance. Having further cemented his legacy against Hill and in a rematch with “BJP,” the Brazilian now has yet another fellow power-puncher to contend with.
The choice of Rountree (13-5, 1 NC) as the next challenger has come as somewhat of a surprise, especially given Magomed Ankalaev’s position in the top five. “The War Horse,” in contrast, is down at #8 in the pecking order and recently had a likely title eliminator against Hill scrapped after a failed drugs test. Before that, Rountree knocked out Anthony Smith to make it five wins on the bounce.
The 34-year-old is still facing potential action from the Nevada State Athletic Commission following his recent Combat Sports Anti-Doping (CSAD) suspension, with a hearing scheduled for August 29 in Las Vegas.
With this and other additions to the card announced by White, the current fights expected to take place at UFC 307 in Salt Lake City on Oct. 5 are as follows:
Alex Pereira (C) vs. Khalil Rountree (light heavyweight championship main event)
In the time that Israel Adesanya has been away from the Octagon following the longest break of his UFC career, his former rival has been firing on all cylinders.
“The Last Stylebender” is always going to have a special connection with Alex Pereira following the four times that they have competed against one another.
Since that huge victory against his Brazilian nemesis, Pereira seems to have only gotten stronger by moving up to light heavyweight, becoming champion and making himself one of the biggest stars in the promotion.
Israel Adesanya Shows Love To His Former Rival Alex Pereira
Adesanya doesn’t hold a grudge against Pereira due to their history with one another and the same can be said for “Poatan”.
Both men have been very complimentary of one another now that their feud has been settled, at least, for the time being.
In a fight week interview with Daniel Cormier, Adesanya took the time to give props to the man that has caused him more problems inside the cage or ring than anyone else.
“I watched the Pereira fight again last night, it was on YouTube, and I was just like scrolling past and I watched it and there was certain sequences I was just like, I was making him move back. I was really pushing him back and for me, I’m so happy with what he’s doing right now, I’m like bro…”
After Cormier responded by asking, “Can you believe how good this dude is?”, to which Adesanya made it very clear that he knows better than almost anyone just how good Pereira is.
“I know! I fought him four times! I f****** know! Bro, every time I fought him, I knew I could get him till he got me and then now, here we are.”
Having had his losing skid extended to four by Marcin Tybura this past March, “Bam Bam” is in desperate need of a bounce-back performance Down Under. To get it, the hard-hitting fan favorite will need to land first when he and Jairzinho Rozenstruik inevitably go hell for leather on fight night.
“Bam Bam” completed his fight camp over in Dubai. But before getting it started in mid-June, he got a taste of sparring Pereira, the reigning 205-pound kingpin, during the Brazilian’s Australia tour.
Suffice to say, that marked about as rude a welcome back to training as imaginable…
Tuivasa After Sparring Pereira: ‘F*ck, I Better Go Train’
During his appearance at UFC 305 media day, Tuivasa was asked about his experience sparring with Pereira a couple of months back, specifically the power that came his way from “Poatan.”
The Aussie admitted that he served as a punching bag, highlighting that the training session came just prior to his UFC 305 fight camp when he wasn’t in the best shape.
“Yeah, it was kind of my first training session back and I got the sh*t punched out of me,” Tuivasa said. “I think I left a few days after that to Dubai and was like, ‘F*ck, yeah, I better go train.’”
In terms of Pereira’s power, though, Tuivasa appeared to dismiss the suggestion that the former two-weight Glory Kickboxing champ packs the kind of dynamite in his fists that he’s not used to experiencing in the heavyweight division.
“His power was, you know — I fight at heavyweight, so we can take a punch or two,” Tuivasa continued. “It was more I hadn’t been training, went in, and I was f*cking running out of breath and getting the sh*t punched out of me. But that’s the sport we do, and it was all fun and games.”
And when it comes to avoiding power shots, practice against Pereira could come in handy given who Tuivasa is slated to share the Octagon with this weekend.
While known for his KO abilities himself, “Bam Bam’s” opponent Rozenstruik is similarly ferocious in the standup realm, recording 13 of his 14 wins by knockout and notably sleeping Allen Crowder with a single jab after just nine seconds in 2019.
Adesanya previously lost and won back the 185-pound strap in a two-fight series with his former kickboxing rival Alex Pereira. After losing two contests to him in the striking-only sport, “The Last Stylebender” fell to 0-3 when “Poatan” rallied to score a fifth-round knockout at the Madison Square Garden-held UFC 281 in November 2022.
But the Nigerian-New Zealander broke his Pereira curse five months later in their second MMA dance at UFC 287 in Miami, brutally knocking the Brazilian out in round two to deliver a highlight for the ages and MMA News’ KO of the Year award for 2023.
Ahead of Saturday’s event, the promotion has released the full Adesanya vs. Pereira rematch fight from UFC 287 on its official YouTube channel.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHZKfAkPC0U
Adesanya will look to deliver a similar statement-making performance when making his comeback this weekend.
Having had his second reign brought to a shock end at the hands of Sean Strickland last September, “The Last Stylebender” has the chance to show that he’s far from done by adding the first blemish to the currently perfect UFC record of champ Du Plessis.
Alex Pereira has gained massive popularity in the UFC, not just for his fighting style and consistency, but also for his cold walkouts to the Octagon. He starts with a hobbled, limping walk and then mimics shooting an arrow towards the opponent while screaming at them.
Unlike stars such as Israel Adesanya, “Poatan” has used the same walkout since his debut at UFC 268. In return, fans regularly appreciate and imitate him on social media platforms and it is unlikely that he would change his walkout going forward.
Pereira has also used the same walkout song in his UFC fights, and here’s everything to know about it…
The Story Behind Alex Pereira’s Walkout Song
Itsári by Brazilan heavy metal band Sepultura is the song Pereira has used for all his UFC walkouts. In the Xavante language, Itsári means “Roots” and the instrumental track is an ode to Brazilian traditions.
Like the song, Pereira’s walkout routine is also inspired by his indigenous history. His first kickboxing coach was indigenous and after enquiring his parents about it, the UFC light heavyweight kingpin became aware of his cultural heritage.
In an interview with ESPN MMA in November 2022, “Poatan” explained how he came up with his UFC walkout theme and song:
“My first teacher had indigenous roots. I went home the same day and asked my mom. She said my grandparents were indigenous. It made me feel more confident. We wanted to resurrect my origins and indigenous culture. I made a ritual with a bow and arrow. Then a sequence with the indigenous music and that’s how it started.”
Pereira’s bow and arrow sequence depicts an early ritual in his culture. When matched with Itsári and his stoic face, it undeniably becomes one of the most intimidating walkouts in UFC history.
The former UFC middleweight champion proudly represents Brazil’s indigenous Pataxo tribe through walkouts, face paint, and interviews. He’s also popularized terms like Chama from Portuguese and Poatan from Tupi in MMA circles.
The 32-year old contender is ranked as the #2 in the division behind the former champion and the last man to challenge Alex Pereira for the light heavyweight title, Jiří Procházka.
Though he does have a no contest from his first fight with Johnny Walker and a draw against Jan Błachowicz, Ankalaev is undefeated since his UFC debut and has won ten in a row (excluding the two previously mentioned blemishes).
Though it makes sense why Pereira would then instead be booked for a rematch with Procházka on late notice at UFC 303, Ankalaev would surely then be the next one up.
However, he is now set to face Aleksandar Rakić, who is coming off of a loss to Procházka, in Abu Dhabi.
Robert Whittaker Jokes That Magomed Ankalaev May Simply Not Be In The UFC’s Good Books
In a recent episode of hisMMArcade Podcast, former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker gave his reaction to this fight being put together.
Whittaker, who will also feature on UFC 308 in a co-main event clash with Khamzat Chimaev over five rounds, was also surprised to see Ankalaev back in action against someone other than Pereira.
He laid out how there are two thought processes behind this fight with one being that “Poatan” has earned a rest and his number one contender would rather be active in the mean time.
Whittaker also laid out how this decision may have been made due to the relationship that Ankalaev currently has with the UFC, which has been rocky to say the least in recent years.
“Pereira deserves a break, he took that second fight with what’s his name and won it in outstanding fashion and then his toe was broken so he deserves a break. I guess I can look at it like… UFC really don’t like Ankalaev. Like when he fought against Błachowicz to that draw, they were just like cross his name out. They’re like yeah, like he didn’t have great rapport after that fight right. So that or it’s exactly as you said, Pereira needs some time out, Ankalaev doesn’t want to sit out forever. Or, bear with me here, they’re prepping him to fight Aspinall.”
Many combat sports fans have criticized Jake Paul for the opponents that he tends to face when stepping inside the ring.
Whilst the amount of experience he has means that he can’t be expected to take on top tier opponents, he tends to fight opponents that shouldn’t be in there with him.
Paul also has a track record for calling out some of the biggest names despite there being very little chance that the fight would actually come together.
This was once again the case following his recent win over Mike Perry, where he called out one of the biggest stars in the UFC right now, light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira.
Pereira unsurprisingly instantly responded but Dana White hasn’t given the idea much thought.
Dana White Says He Doesn’t Think About Jake Paul Anymore
The UFC boss has been very open about his dislike for what “The Problem Child” is doing in combat sports and therefore hasn’t been paying much attention.
He made it clear that giving Pereira a pass to go and box Paul isn’t an option that has ever been thought about because White tapped out of caring about the social media star’s boxing career long ago.
“I haven’t even talked to Perry in a long time and I didn’t even know Jake Paul was fighting. I was on vacation in Italy, I had no idea. There’s all these stories that were written, it’s ridiculous. I stopped paying attention to Jake Paul when he lost to Fury, you know what I mean. It’s like when he fought somebody that was his age and actually boxed, he lost and I’m not s******* on the kid, I don’t even think about him anymore.
“It doesn’t even cross my mind. I have no beef with him. ‘They’re trying to get me assassinated’. Nobody’s trying to get you assassinated especially, listen, I respect Perry. Smaller, older, I mean it’s the same blueprint that they’re fighting older, smaller guys that, it’s just I literally don’t even think about him anymore. It’s all b*******.”
The UFC heavyweight champion has been teasing that he will make his return from injury later this year, where he will defend his title against Stipe Miocic.
When the fight was removed from UFC 295 last year due to Jones’ injury, Tom Aspinall and Sergei Pavlovich stepped into the co-main event on short notice where the Brit became the interim champion.
Aspinall believes that even if both he and Jones are victorious in their next fights, there’s more chance of “Bones” taking another route instead.
Tom Aspinall Says Alex Pereira Has A Better Chance Of Fighting Jon Jones Than He Does
Jones has made it perfectly clear during his absence that fighting Aspinall isn’t something that he sees as adding anything to his legacy, which is already assured in the sport.
“Bones” has however, floated the idea of a potential fight against the light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira, which would be a massive contest.
During UFC 304 fight week, Aspinall spoke in an interview with Michael Bisping where he said that in his opinion, there’s more chance of that fight happening than him unifying the titles against Jones.
“Yeah, he might do. That’s way more likely than Jon Jones fighting me. Way more likely.”
Aspinall added that he doesn’t believe it’s an issue of Jones not wanting to fight him specifically, as he can understand why that fight isn’t the best option for the champion right now.
“Well, he’s going to get more money fighting Alex Pereira than he is me first of all and it’s an easier match-up. I’m not saying he doesn’t want to fight me, I’m saying that there’s more favorable match-ups. If the shoe was on the other foot, I would do the same.”
Curtis Blaydes said that should he win the interim title this weekend in a rematch with Tom Aspinall, he would more than welcome Pereira up to the division.
He spoke at the UFC 304 media day about how he believes it would not end well for the light heavyweight champion if he did make the jump.
“Bad idea. I’ll give you my premediated plan, I’m going to shoot. Immediately. Why would I give him any chance to knock me out on the feet when I know I can take him down at will and I’m sure, he has to know that. I think he’s looking for a specific heavyweight, not any heavyweight. He has match-ups against, I can see him beating guys like Tai, we watched him sparring Tai Tuivasa. Maybe some other guys like the bottom of the top 15 but you give him a top five guy with some real weight, he’s not winning.”
Blaydes once again confirmed that if Pereira still wants to come up should “Razor” get the win in Manchester, he’d be happy to oblige.
“Yes, I know that’s what everyone wants to hear. Yes, I would f****** love Alex Pereira. It’s not cause he’s not good, I’m heavier than he is. Just at heavyweight, gravity, weight matters. It’s not as skill-based, that’s just how it is.”
MMA Fans React To Curtis Blaydes Labelling An Alex Pereira Heavyweight Move As A ‘Bad Idea’
Pereira is always going to have an army of fans that back him but it’s probably fair to say that Blaydes would be the toughest match-up for him at heavyweight.
Not only is he a natural heavyweight, as Blaydes said himself, he has no interest in wanting to strike with “Poatan” and would look to take him down as soon as possible.
That being said, taking Pereira down is the best route to victory for nearly every opponent that he has faced inside the Octagon and no one has been able to keep him there.
Fight fans responded to Blaydes’ comments on social media by questioning whether his assessment is correct.
“I mean that’s a fair assessment, but you never know until the fight plays out. We are still yet to see Pereira’s ground game in full display, so no questions can be answered. I’m a fan of both but wouldn’t be surprised if Pereira got it done”
I mean thats a fair assessment, but you never know until the fight plays out. We are still yet to see Pereira’s ground game in full display, so no questions can be answered. Im a fan of both but wouldn’t be surprised if Pereira got it done
Former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman believes that the potential boxing match between Alex Pereira and Jake Paul is anything but predictable.
“The Problem Child” has persistently shown an avid fascination in taking on UFC stars in the boxing ring, and he’s already notched victories against retired fighters such as Ben Askren, Anderson Silva, Tyron Woodley (twice), and Nate Diaz.
Pereira shared his perspective of the call, capturing a moment of uncertainty as he glanced sideways at his manager. This subtle gesture likely hinted at the complexities involved in securing UFC CEO Dana White’s approval for the boxing match.
The full FaceTime between Alex Pereira and Jake Paul.
Jake: “Let’s run it.”
Pereira: “Let’s go.”
Jake: “Will Dana let you out?”
Pereira: “Yes.”
Jake: “The bigger they are, the harder they fall. Light work.”
However, if the stars ever align, “The Nigerian Nightmare” holds a view contrary to the general consensus, believing that Paul has the potential to defeat striking phenom Pereira in a boxing showdown…
Usman Believes Paul’s Arsenal Has ‘Really Good’ Moves To Challenge Pereira
During a recent episode of the Pound 4 Pound podcast with former two-division champion Henry Cejudo, Usman shared his thoughts on “The Problem Child’s” callout of Pereira for a boxing match. The former welterweight titleholder expressed skepticism about the potential clash, citing Paul’s strained relationship with White as a major obstacle.
“No, it won’t happen,” Usman said. “I just don’t think it’s… Jake Paul, in the name of promoting nowadays, has done a lot of things and said a lot of things about Dana White that I feel are Colby Covington-esque. In that case, you’ve put yourself off to where I don’t think Mr. Dana White ever wants to do business with you.”
“The Nigerian Nightmare” added that if the matchup were ever to materialize, Paul would stand a fair chance of overcoming Pereira with his slick jabs and diverse arsenal.
“I do believe Alex Pereira can win that fight, but I don’t think it’s an unwinnable fight for Jake Paul. Jake Paul definitely showed some really good things there, being able to stick by the jab. When he was able to commit to the jab, the jab was working. Yes, I know Alex Pereira is very good at doing the thing that gave Mike Perry success in that fight, but Alex Pereira also holds his hands very low.
“Yes, he has a mean left hook, but he also holds his hands very low. That head moves when he’s slipping and ripping, but other than that, it’s not like it’s constantly moving. It’s not constantly doing what a boxer’s head movement should be doing. So, I’m not completely counting Jake Paul out.”
Paul is slated to face boxing legend Mike Tyson in a rescheduled bout on November 15. The social media influencer is currently riding a four-win streak in his 11-fight career, marred by only one setback—a split decision loss to Tommy Fury in February 2023.
Since making his UFC debut in November 2021, Alex Pereira has quickly become a two-division champ, and accordingly, one of the promotion’s biggest stars. Despite not speaking English, he’s captivated the fans with his stoic personality, consistency, and fighting style.
Most recently, Pereira did the unthinkable by defending his light heavyweight championship against Jiří Procházka on short notice, to save UFC 303. This is an even more impressive feat considering he headlined UFC 300 just a couple of months prior.
Pereira’s influence can be judged by the massive popularization of his nickname ‘Poatan’ and the catchphrase ‘chama’. Here’s what these terms mean, to help you understand your favorite UFC fighter better…
What Does Alex Pereira Mean By Chama?
Following his UFC 303, Pereira was asked about the meaning of ‘chama’ by Joe Rogan. Here’s what he said according to the UFC’s translator:
“It could be anything. Positive or negative, you know. You can say, hey, let’s go to the gym [happily] and I say, chama! Or I could say, let’s go to the gym [reluctantly], and I say, man, chama! So, it could mean a lot of things.”
A more reasonable explanation from the UFC light heavyweight champion came in an episode of The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, though. Translated by his coach, here’s how Pereira described the term ‘chama’:
“So, chama is like, let’s go. He says, like, you know how Shannon Briggs created Lets Go Champ. Our mantra, the literal translation for chama in Portuguese means to call chama, somebody or also flame, right? But to chama, like, let’s go, come with me, follow us, let’s do it.”
So, it is safe to assume that Pereira means to call upon his fans and inspire them when he uses the phrase.
Why Is Alex Pereira Called ‘Poatan’?
Although Pereira is commonly called ‘Poatan’, his nickname is a combination of two words – Po and Atan. In the native Tupi language of Brazil, Po translates to hands and Atan refers to something hard like stones. So, ‘Poatan’ means stone hands which is undeniably a great nickname for someone with explosive knockout power.
Glory Kickboxing, the promotion where Pereira achieved early success and became a double champ, also revealed why he picked ‘Poatan’ as his nickname. As per the UFC star, he cherishes being a 100% native Brazilian and learning Tupi brought him close to his roots and heritage.
For now, fans worldwide are eagerly waiting for Pereira’s next fight in the UFC. Should he defend his light heavyweight title against Magomed Ankalaev or aim for a super fight against heavyweights Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall?
Kayla Harrison, a two-time Olympic gold medalist in judo, was impressed by how quickly UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Alex Pereira got to grips with the martial art.
Both Harrison and Pereira have found significant success in mixed martial arts after originally making their names in other sports.
But judging by Harrison’s comments after hitting the mats with “Poatan” last month, a career in a grappling discipline is seemingly not that far-fetched…
Harrison Reflects On Training With UFC Peer Pereira
During a recent appearance on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, Harrison reflected on her training session with the UFC light heavyweight kingpin.
“He was showing me the videos of him training and he was kicking — dude, I wish he would release this one. Oh my god, he like, did the move I taught him and then did the move you do if the (first) move doesn’t work,” Harrison said. “I was like, ‘Dude, you look like a judo (athlete).’ It’s crazy how fast he picks stuff up. He looked like a legit judo (athlete).
“I also grappled with Alex. Dude, he’s a strong mothertrucker,” Harrison continued. “Obviously he didn’t really grapple with me, but I just felt his natural — f*cking fixing tyres must build like, a different kind of (strength).”
The former middleweight and reigning light heavyweight champ was previously awarded his legitimate black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu following his knockout of Hill at UFC 300.
Michael Bisping contends that beyond the formidable Alex Pereira and Israel Adesanya, a host of UFC fighters possess the prowess to beat down Jake Paul in the boxing ring.
It appears that the age-old rivalry between MMA and boxing continues to burn brightly, with “The Problem Child” fanning the flames. Following his sixth-round TKO victory over former UFC fighter Mike Perry in their cruiserweight boxing bout last weekend, Paul made some incendiary remarks that have ruffled feathers in the MMA community.
The YouTuber-turned-boxer has consistently expressed a keen interest in facing UFC fighters, with Conor McGregor frequently being mentioned as a desired opponent. However, this past Saturday, he surprised everyone by calling out a new challenger: the reigning UFC light heavyweight champion.
Jake Paul vows to 'decapitate' Alex Pereira 😳 #PaulPerry
“Will Dana [White] let him out? That’s too big of a risk if I could embarrass his No. 1 praised fighter right now.” pic.twitter.com/dzzvjw3qeb
Despite “Poatan” being hailed as one of the most lethal strikers in the UFC today, Paul boldly declared during the post-event press conference that he would “decapitate and dethrone” the Brazilian in a potential boxing match. This audacious claim incensed former UFC middleweight champion Bisping…
Bisping Lists UFC Fighters Who Would Dominate Paul In Squared Circle
In a recent video on his YouTube channel, Bisping weighed in on Paul’s callout of Pereira for a boxing match. “The Count” dissected “Poatan’s” impressive victories over renowned former champions like Adesanya, Jan Blachowicz, Jiri Prochazka, and Jamahal Hill. He confidently asserted that Pereira would undoubtedly outclass “The Problem Child” in the boxing ring.
“That is the craziest, most grandiose statement I have ever heard in my life,” Bisping said. “Alex Pereira is gigantic. Alex Pereira is way bigger than Jake Paul… Alex Pereira is a monster. Alex Pereira is not a blown-up lightweight; he’s a champion of two weight divisions and he’s beaten five former champions.
The UFC Hall of Famer added that all the fighters Pereira has defeated are equally capable of dismantling Paul in a boxing match, and they would do so in a resoundingly dominant fashion.
“All those people that I just mentioned would absolutely wipe the floor with Jake Paul. Jamahal Hill would brutalize him. Jiri Prochazka would marmalize him. Israel Adesanya would embarrass him from start to finish. Too quick, too slick, too fast, too technical.”
Paul has previously fought former UFC fighters Anderson Silva, Tyron Woodley (twice), Nate Diaz, and Ben Askren, though all were notably beyond their prime.
Although the likelihood of a Pereira vs. Paul boxing match is slim due to the UFC’s stringent contracts, the Brazilian fighter appeared enthusiastic about the potential showdown in his brief video exchange with Paul.
The pair’s main event on DAZN pay-per-view came to a close in the sixth round when Paul followed early knockdowns and frequent success at the expense of “Platinum” with one final damaging flurry to earn the knockout.
Perry, who made his name in the cage, marked the latest mixed martial arts name added to Paul’s record, joining Ben Askren, Tyron Woodley, Anderson Silva, and Nate Diaz in that group.
But not everyone in MMA is against Paul’s boxing approach…
O’Malley Happy To Keep Watching Paul vs. MMA Fighters
During a video recently uploaded to his YouTube channel, O’Malley reacted to Paul’s latest success inside the ring and his unexpected post-match callout.
While many laughed off Paul’s decision to put Pereira’s name on his lips in the ring, “Sugar” had nothing but praise for the callout.
“He called out Alex Pereira. That fight won’t happen unless Dana (White) says, ‘I’m sick of seeing Jake beat all these UFC guys.’ … Imagine Alex Pereira vs. Jake Paul. Dude, Alex has crazy power in both hands, but the dude literally throws from his hips. He is there to be hit,” O’Malley said. “I love the callout. Imagine we get to see that. Imagine Jake Paul goes out there and knocks out Mike Tyson, Jake Paul vs. Alex Pereira, huge.
“Jake looks like he’s improving every single fight. I’m excited to continue to watch him fight,” O’Malley continued. “Jake is doing such a good job. After a fight, the biggest thing is what’s next. You’ve gotta set yourself up for those opportunities, and Jake’s doing that better than anybody right now.”
And the callout wasn’t the only criticism of Paul that O’Malley defended against. He also differed from many with his view on “The Problem Child” continuing to welcome MMA veterans into the ring.
“He hasn’t fought a top let’s say 20 guy in the world; a top-20 boxer in his weight class,” O’Malley noted. “That’s when you’re really gonna be able to see how good Jake Paul is. … I personally enjoy watching him fight these MMA guys. I like those fights. But I’m here for whatever. … I like these crossover fights.”
Paul will move away from focusing on a prominent MMA name for the time being, instead putting his sights back on heavyweight legend Mike Tyson ahead of their rearranged Netflix showdown this November.
1) Mike Perry is a fucking beast and has a lot more balls than that little leprechaun
2) Where all those mma experts at that said Mike Perry was going to end me?
3) Next up is me vs Mike Tyson and Serrano vs Taylor on Netflix, November 15th. It will be the biggest combat…
A former UFC champion at both heavyweight and light heavyweight believes that Jones’ toughest test is also likely to be his next one.
Randy Couture Says Experienced Stipe Miocic Has The Best Chance Of Beating Jon Jones Right Now
In a recent interview with InsideFighting, Randy Couture gave his take on who presents the biggest challenge to Jones and the heavyweight title right now.
Despite giving Aspinall and Pereira their dues, Couture pointed out how their experience competing at the top of the heavyweight division does leave a few question marks next to both men in potential match-ups with “Bones”.
With that in mind, “The Natural” sided with the man that many believe to be the best UFC heavyweight of all time, former champion Miocic.
It has been three years since Miocic last competed inside the Octagon but Couture chose to go with the tried and tested competitor at this current time.
“I think right now, because of experience, Stipe’s probably got the best shot at beating Jon. Aspinall has that raw physical ability and is still green enough and young enough that he’s going to be tough for Jon to deal with, especially if Jon waits any longer because he’s getting stronger and stronger each time out and I think the longer Jon waits, the better he’s going to be, he’s going to be in full stride by the time that fight happens so it’s interesting. Pereira has some things to prove, moving up is no easy task.
“It’s one thing to cut weight and move down and there’s still some questions there even but moving up and dealing with the bigger guys, and Jon’s answered that question already dealing with the bigger guys, it’s a different thing… certainly has all the ability in the world, Pereira does, and he’s a hell of a competitor and he’s just demonstrated that again. I think anybody’s crazy if they don’t think you better strap them on if you’re stepping in there with him because he’s gonna bring it.”
Alex Pereira’s UFC run has been unlike anything else that fans have ever seen in the promotion but the exciting thing is that he could take it up another level if he wanted to.
“Poatan” has already achieved great success at both middleweight and light heavyweight, but there is potential for him to try and become a world champion in three weight classes.
The 205-pound champion is already a huge star and whilst heavyweight could boost his stock even more, it’s not something that is on his mind right now.
Michael Bisping Agrees With Alex Pereira’s Stance On Not Being Interested In Fighting Tom Aspinall
Fights against both Aspinall and Jones would be absolutely massive for Pereira and his reasoning for not wanting to fight the Brit over “Bones” makes total sense.
Despite many feeling like Aspinall’s next title defense at UFC 304 is essentially him defending the undisputed title rather than the interim, “Poatan” knows that he doesn’t have many years left in his career. So if he was going to move up, it would be to fight the undisputed world champion and nothing else.
Michael Bisping gave his thoughts on this during a recent YouTube video where he sided with Pereira.
The former UFC middleweight champion understood where the former kickboxer was coming from when he stated that despite having a lot of respect for Aspinall, this fight wouldn’t make sense for him right now.
“As much as I’m a fan of Tom Aspinall, I’ve got to agree with Alex Pereira here. He’s a two-weight division champion. The man is the talk of the town, the bell of the ball and outside of Conor McGregor, the biggest star in combat sports right now. Maybe even bigger than Jon Jones right now.
“He’s certainly on the top of everybody’s tongues, he’s the man that everybody wants to fight but he’s saying, ‘I don’t want to fight Tom Aspinall’, and that’s not because he’s scared. It’s not because he says stylistically it might be a bad match-up for me, he’s saying no, it doesn’t make sense. ‘If I was going to fight, I’d want to fight the undisputed champ, I wouldn’t want to fight the interim champion’, and I do kind of get that.”
Since making his UFC debut in November 2021, Alex Pereira has won the UFC middleweight and light heavyweight championships separately. Of his nine fights, five have been for a title, and he’s won four via knockouts.
“Poatan” has become a massive star in MMA for his exciting striking style and consistency. After headlining UFC 300, he stepped in on short notice to defend his UFC light heavyweight belt against Jiří Procházka at UFC 303. He won almost effortlessly via KO in the second and saved the event after McGregor had pulled out.
Here’s how being one of the UFC’s most reliable champions in recent years has benefited Pereira financially…
Alex Pereira Reveals How He Convinced Dana White For A $303,000 Bonus After UFC 303 Victory
In an interview on his official YouTube channel, the UFC light heavyweight champion admitted he received a $303,000 bonus for winning at UFC 303.
“Then he said, “I gave you bonus of the fight” Then I said to him, “$303,000?” Then he laughed and said, “No, $50,000” and I was like, “At the interview they asked you, I don’t understand english and I understood it was $303,000. Then he laughed again and said, “Okay fine, $303,000 for you” then I thanked him.”
Pereira remembered not getting a $300,000 bonus for winning the UFC 300 main event. So, when asked about the bonuses for UFC 303 by the press, he intentionally claimed to think that the amount was $303,000.
After the fight, “Poatan” mentioned the $303,000 bonus to Dana White again and this time around, the UFC CEO paid up.
Pereira then disclosed that just 6% of his UFC 303 paycheck would be equal to all the money he had earned over the 14 years as a mechanic.
“It was good money, I worked 14 years in the tire shop. The money I earned in 14 years, 0.06 of the money I won in UFC 303 covered the 14 years I worked in the tire shop.”
Will “Poatan” return against Magomed Ankalaev who many believe to be his toughest test at LHW or fight the likes of Jon Jones or Tom Aspinall at heavyweight for an even bigger paycheck?
Alex Pereira’s recent successful defense of his light heavyweight title at UFC 303 has added the Brazilian’s name to the ever-growing list of fighters who have successfully changed weight divisions within the UFC.
Today we take a look at some of the most notable examples (along with a few that didn’t fare quite as well).
CONOR McGREGOR
The original ‘champ-champ’. The first man to simultaneously hold championship belts in two different weight divisions. “The Notorious” signed with the UFC back in 2013 having won both the featherweight and lightweight titles in Cage Warriors and within two-and-a-half years he knocked out Jose Aldo to claim the 145-pound belt.
Image: Conor McGregor IG
Less than a year later, he put on perhaps the best display of his career when he beat Eddie Alvarez at the iconic Madison Square Garden to claim the 155-pound strap. He has also competed in the welterweight division, fighting Nate Diaz twice and Donald Cerrone. His recent (now postponed) comeback bout against Michael Chandler had been set to take place over five rounds at 170 pounds.
DANIEL CORMIER
“DC” enjoyed huge success fighting as a heavyweight prior to signing with the UFC in 2013. He beat Antonio “Big Foot” Silva and Josh Barnett to win the Strikeforce heavyweight grand prix in 2012 and began his UFC career with wins over former heavyweight champion Frank Mir and Roy Nelson, before making the decision to move down to 205 pounds as his teammate Cain Velazquez was the heavyweight champion at the time.
https://youtu.be/4NCHPFS7VzQ?si=PPthrGer2lHnEjBH
Cormier submitted Anthony “Rumble” Johnson in 2015 to claim the vacant light heavyweight title, and three years later, he made the decision to move up and challenge then-champion Stipe Miocic for the heavyweight title. He shocked the world by knocking out Miocic in the first round, although the Cleveland-born firefighter gained his revenge by beating Cormier twice in 2019/2020, retiring him from the sport.
Image: Robert Whittaker Instagram
ROBERT WHITTAKER
“Bobby Knuckles” signed with the UFC back in 2012 off the back of some impressive performances on The Ultimate Fighter: The Smashes and had mixed results during his time competing in the welterweight division. He won three of his first five fights, but losses to Court McGee and Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson convinced Whittaker to test the waters at 185 pounds.
What followed was an eight-fight winning streak, wins over the likes of Yoel Romero and “Jacare” Souza and the UFC middleweight title. Whittaker lost the belt to Israel Adesanya in 2022 but is still riding high in the division and finds himself in the title picture once again after his recent knockout victory over Ikram Aliskerov.
HENRY CEJUDO
The 2008 Olympic gold medalist won his first four fights inside the Octagon to earn a shot at then-UFC flyweight champion Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson back in 2016. Although Cejudo was knocked out in the first round, he soon worked his way back into title contention with some impressive victories over Wilson Reis and Sergio Pettis.
The rematch was a much closer affair, and “Triple C” ended Johnson’s record-breaking title reign and emerged victorious by way of a contentious split decision. A year later he moved up to 135lbs to challenge Marlon Moraes for the vacant UFC bantamweight title. He finished Moraes and then beat former champion Dominick Cruz in his first title defence in 2020, before relinquishing his belt and announcing his retirement, in what seemed like a power play due to contract issues with the UFC.
3 Fighters Who Moved Down A Weight Division…With Disastrous Results!
TJ DILLASHAW
TJ Dillashaw enjoyed two separate runs as UFC bantamweight champion. He shocked the MMA world when he destroyed Renan Barao at UFC 173 to capture the 135-pound belt. After losing the title to Dominck Cruz two years later, he regrouped and beat Raphael Assuncao and John Lineker to earn another shot at gold.
He knocked out former teammate Cody Garbrandt (who had won the belt from Cruz a year earlier), and after finishing “No Love” again in a rematch, made the decision to cut to 125 pounds to challenge Henry Cejudo for the flyweight title.
The decision proved disastrous. Dillashaw was knocked out after just 32 seconds, and a couple of months later it was announced he had been suspended for two years by USADA due to testing positive for EPO in the lead-up to the Cejudo fight.
He returned after his suspension ended and beat Cory Sandhagen to earn another shot at the 135-pound belt but went into the fight against Aljamain Sterling carrying a serious shoulder injury and was finished easily. He has since walked away from the sport.
CODY GARBRANDT
Cody Garbrandt came into that first bantamweight title fight with TJ Dillashaw unbeaten at 10-0 and riding high off the back of a career-best performance against Dominick Cruz. The two losses he suffered at the hands of Dillashaw seemed to affect him badly. He was also knocked out by Pedro Munhoz in his next fight, and although he would claim a highlight reel finish over Raphael Assuncao in 2020, a defeat to Rob Font soon afterwards convinced him a change was needed.
Image: Cody Garbrandt Instagram
With no discernible path back into the bantamweight picture, “No Love” decided to make the cut to 125 pounds for a fight against Australian flyweight contender Kai Kara-France at UFC 269. Another first-round knockout defeat followed, and Garbrandt stepped away from the spotlight for a much-needed break.
His return to the bantamweight division has been a little less calamitous. Wins over Trevin Jones and Brian Kelleher, followed by a submission loss to Deiveson Figueiredo at UFC 300, have hinted that perhaps his future lies slightly outside of the title picture for now, but most definitely should be at 135 pounds.
DAN HOOKER
“The Hangman” picked up a string of impressive wins in the UFC’s lightweight division between 2017 and 2021, beating the likes of Paul Felder, Al Iaquinta, Gilbert Burns, and Jim Miller. His record at 155 pounds during that five-year spell sits at eight wins and four defeats, but losses against the biggest names in the division such as Michael Chandler, Dustin Poirier and Islam Makhachev convinced the Australian to think about a move down to featherweight.
Image: UFC.com
His featherweight debut against Arnold Allen in London, England ended disastrously. At six-feet tall, Hooker looked frail and weakened at 145 pounds and Allen destroyed him in little over two minutes. Hooker has since returned to the lightweight division and reeled off victories over Claudio Puelles and Jalin Turner.
One thing we know for certain: finding the right weight class is of paramount importance for a fighter. It can be the defining factor between a promising career and a championship legacy in the highly demanding world of the UFC.
Read More: Jon Anik Maintains Conor McGregor Has ‘An Itch That Can Only Be Scratched In The Octagon’ Amid UFC Return Uncertainty
It wouldn’t be a stretch to say that Alex Pereira and Israel Adesanya have one of the most iconic and popular rivalries in mixed martial arts history. They first crossed paths in GLORY as kickboxers and then fought twice in the UFC.
Although “Poatan” has three wins over “Izzy” including MMA and kickboxing, the latter often brags about getting the last laugh. In April 2023, Adesanya knocked out Pereira at UFC 287 to reclaim his UFC middleweight championship.
Since then, the Brazilian has become the light heavyweight champion with two title defenses to his name. He is also expected to move up to heavyweight in the near future. Adesanya, on the other end, lost the middleweight title to Sean Strickland via decision and is gearing up for his return against current champ Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 305.
Alex Pereira Sends His Support To Misunderstood Israel Adesanya
Pereira was recently asked about Adesanya picking him to lose against Jamahal Hill and Jiří Procházka in an interview uploaded on his official YouTube channel. The UFC light heavyweight champion claimed to be unbothered and reiterated that he’s still backing his rival to win against DDP.
“They asked me about Adesanya and Du Plessis, I said I don’t see Adesanya losing. Just because he said that about me doesn’t mean I’ll say it back.”
“Poatan” went on to appreciate Adesanya as a person and vowed to keep cheering for “The Last Stylebender” even if he doesn’t reciprocate in kind.
Pereira also suggested the former UFC middleweight champion should continue fighting, referring to Adesanya’s vague claim that he would fight again in 2027 after the Strickland loss.
“i’m here, supporting him, I already fought him, not going to say he should lose. I’m not mad at him, no grudges. Like I said if one day it’s possible to train with him.”
At 34, Izzy can certainly bounce back from losses like before and go on a new title run at middleweight. From the looks of it, his long-time opponent will be happy to see such a scenario.
“[People Claim] He’s this, he’s bad” and what not. The people who truly know him that I had contact with, talk good about him. [Adesanya] Has a good heart, a lot of the times it’s just marketing. I believe that, I can see he is a good person.
“so that’s why I’m here, cheering for him. If he doesn’t cheer for me, that’s not my problem. But I’m here, cheering for him.”
Despite the animosity in the past, it won’t be a surprise if the two kickboxing greats end up training together soon.
Alex Pereira defended his UFC light heavyweight championship against Jiří Procházka at UFC 303. He now holds three title wins in the division and tons of fans, including MMA fighters, are excited to see him at heavyweight.
In the biggest weight division, Pereira can take on the likes of Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall. While Jones is adamant about fighting Stipe Miocic next, Aspinall is scheduled to defend his interim UFC heavyweight championship against Curtis Blaydes at UFC 304.
With uncertainty surrounding Pereira’s heavyweight debut, here’s what he thinks of a fight with Aspinall…
Alex Pereira Dismisses Tom Aspinall As An Opponent Due To His Interim UFC Heavyweight Belt
Pereira discussed his heavyweight debut in the UFC on his official YouTube channel recently. He instantly clarified that heavyweight isn’t his priority at the moment, teasing that he aims to defend his light heavyweight belt again.
“What I got to say is, it doesn’t interest me in this moment to fight him. To be honest, heavyweight isn’t my objective, it isn’t my main focus. Tom Aspinall, not talking about fighter, I’m talking positions. I think I’m in another position now, sincerely for me it doesn’t make sense to dispute the interim belt.
“Poatan” then cited that Aspinall’s interim UFC heavyweight belt as the reason why he isn’t interested in the fight. He prefers waiting to fight for the real belt over disputing the interim one.
The Brazilian didn’t discredit Aspinall’s Octagon skills, though. He appreciated the interim champ’s technical prowess and athleticism. So, their highly-anticipated matchup could become a reality if Jones is stripped or the Britisher unifies the title anytime soon.
“I am not belittling him, I respect him a lot. I think he is an incredible athlete, a guy that is very dangerous technical. I’m just talking about the interim belt, there is no point for me. So, I discard, there is no possibility to fight him now. If he was champion and said that, of course we would be promotion the fight. “
Welcome to MMA News Today, a daily feature running down the most interesting stories in the world of mixed martial arts. For July 12, 2024, we’re taking a look at:
Fans believe Pereira was snubbed over O’Malley
Goggins says Strickland has not replied to his challenge
Gane and Volkov set to meet again at UFC 308 in Abu Dhabi
Fans Give Confused Reaction To Sean O’Malley Winning ‘Best UFC Fighter’ At The ESPYs
Whilst some fans questioned whether the period of time that is judged meant that the award was voted this way, many were simply baffled at the idea of Pereira not winning this award regardless of which time frame you want to look at.
“Bro sean has fought 3 ( 4 if you county the Pedro fight) times since 2022. Alex has fought 8 smh they did bad on this”
Bro sean has fought 3 ( 4 if you county the Pedro fight) times since 2022. Alex has fought 8 smh they did bad on this
David Goggins Challenges Sean Strickland To Three Days Of Training For Three Rounds Of Boxing
David Goggins vs. Sean Strickland has turned into a surprising social media beef as of late, with both men speaking about one another in videos.
Following the former UFC middleweight champion’s comments about Navy SEALs and Goggins’ military career, the athlete and public speaker issued a challenge to him to test what Strickland is truly made of.
“Sean Strickland, I know you’re doing all this for clickbait. We had a DM the other day, me and you, back and forth. I was pretty much DMing you because you called me a b**** and talked about my military career and going out here once again and trying to, like you said in your DM, trying to be a clown. You’re an MMA fighter and you’re also a comedian so, you know, I’m not much of a comedian at all.”
As seen below, Goggins recently shared a look at the message that he sent to Strickland which has not received a reply as of yet, calling to train and spar with him.
He continued to say that he is done with exchanging videos and that this is his final offer- and whether the former champion takes it or not is up to him.
“You say you can f*** me up in training, I responded to that video to you and this is what I said. You have yet to respond to this and so anytime you want to train with me, I am ready to train with you. I am done with the videos.”
Ciryl Gane vs. Alexander Volkov 2 Reportedly Set For UFC 308 In Abu Dhabi
The UFC is heading back to Abu Dhabi in October for UFC 308, as has become a tradition for the MMA leader’s calendar.
A first match-up has been reported for this card with Ag. Fight claiming that former interim heavyweight champion Ciryl Gane will be facing Alexander Volkov in a rematch on October 26.
Many were expecting to see Gane return on the Paris card in September, after he reportedly turned down the option to fight Tom Aspinall at UFC 304 later this month.
Volkov will be looking to avenge his loss to “Bon Gamin” in 2021 off the back of a big victory over Sergei Pavlovich in Saudi Arabia last month.
UFC legend Chael Sonnen has urged former two-time Glory Kickboxing champion Artem Vakhitov to rethink the way he’s currently approaching his pursuit of Alex Pereira in mixed martial arts.
“Poatan” arrived with hype already around his name owing to his history with then-middleweight titleholder Israel Adesanya, whom he got the better of twice in the kickboxing ring.
The Brazilian capitalized on that story to secure a faster-than-usual rise to the belt, ultimately capturing it from “The Last Stylebender” before immediately dropping it back and moving onto other things a division up.
Now, having cemented his grip on the 205-pound crown and enhanced his legacy in MMA, a figure from Pereira’s striking past has emerged.
But one man who certainly boasts experience in the realm of MMA storylines believes the MMA newcomer is going about things in the wrong way…
Sonnen Tells Vakhitov To ‘Join’ Pereira, Not Target Him
During a video uploaded to his YouTube channel, Sonnen reacted to the recent war of words between Vakhitov and Pereira, who reacted to his former rival’s remarks with a warning and some advice regarding the need for management.
Sonnen made the obvious comparison between “Poatan’s” transition to MMA and subsequent pursuit of Adesanya. But in contrast to that, “The Bad Guy” believes it would be wise for Vakhitov to align himself with the light heavyweight champ.
“Artem did an interview, and I can’t tell you that he did anything wrong,” Sonnen said. “He’s coming over the MMA and he’s got a win over Pereira. I can’t deny that that story works. … We know that it works, that’s the exact formula Pereira did when he came over; ‘I beat Izzy, I beat your champion. I’m now coming to your sport. I beat him over here, why would I not beat him in this one as well?’ You don’t want to have the secret sauce to beat a guy, and that’s all that you’ve got, ‘I can take out your champion.’ It can’t be, because even if it’s true, you can’t get to him.
“I feel that the best way to do it is to join him. I feel that instead of Artem coming in and doing what makes the most sense to him, which is create heat, create a story, ‘I want to get to Pereira, I’m gonna start calling Pereira out straight away.’ Believe me, I understand it…(but) kickboxing does not come over with enough of an audience,” Sonnen continued. “I’m only suggesting for you that Artem come in different and he come in with Pereira. ‘We are taking over,’ and he associates himself with Pereira. ‘We kickboxers, we’ve always been the hardest sport.’ … I think if he just associates himself with Alex Pereira, it might be a better approach.’”
It remains to be seen whether Vakhitov will heed Sonnen’s advice following his recent back and forth with Pereira. For the time being, though, the Russian will be focused on securing his path to the Octagon to ensure he’s competing under the same banner as “Poatan.”
This rivalry is back in the news 👀
Check out the best moments from Alex Pereria and Artem Vakhitov’s two battles inside the GLORY ring pic.twitter.com/Kd09gzh78h
Henry Cejudo is still not sold on Alex Pereira’s prowess, even after the reigning UFC light heavyweight champion showcased an exceptional performance at UFC 303.
“Poatan” retained his title, most recently securing an impressive second-round head kick knockout of his former foe, Jiri Prochazka, during the main event of the UFC’s last pay-per-view on June 29.
Pereira, in just nine Octagon appearances, has established an unparalleled legacy. He has become only the ninth fighter in UFC history to hold championships in two divisions. Even more impressive, he is the first to capture titles in both the light heavyweight and middleweight divisions, accomplishing this remarkable feat in just two years.
The 37-year-old Brazilian has made an indelible mark on the MMA community, with many considering him among the greatest fighters in UFC history. However, former two-division champion Cejudo remains skeptical of Pereira’s accomplishments…
Cejudo Argues Pereira Needs To Do More To Be Deemed The Best
During a recent episode of Pound 4 Pound with Kamaru Usman, the two former UFC champions explored Pereira’s meteoric rise in the MMA world. “Triple C” emphatically insisted that the Brazilian striking phenom still has more to prove against more well-rounded opponents before he can be crowned among the greatest.
“We have to see him go up against are a little more well-rounded, Cejudo said. “I don’t take things personal. I think, to me, it’s even more cool to create a character because whether you’re right or wrong, people are going to talk sh*t, or people are going to do X, Y, and Z, but these are keyboard wars. Even if Pereira does get a bit butthurt, man, take it to heart.”
“Does he have beautiful striking? 100%. I want to see more. I wanna see him to see him against guys against a real mixed martial artists, and then we can gauge it whether he is maybe even so pound-for-pound.”
Welcome to MMA News Today, a daily feature running down the most interesting stories in the world of mixed martial arts. For July 11, 2024, we’re taking a look at:
Hall tells interesting story behind highlight reel finish
Parkin says Pereira may struggle with bigger grapplers
Anik suggests Poirier vs Diaz
Uriah Hall Says Michael Jai White Deserves Credit For His Finish Over Gegard Mousasi
Back in 2015, UFC middleweight Uriah Hall secured one of his greatest ever wins when he stopped Gegard Mousasi in Japan.
Hall spoke about the way he was able to secure this second-round finish during a recent episode of the Jaxxon Podcast, where he revealed an interesting story behind this win.
He stated that when watching Mousasi’s previous fight with Lyoto Machida, he noticed a tell where the Dutchman dipped his head whenever Machida feinted with his hips.
Hall then combined this with a technique that he learned during his final preparations that came courtesy of Hollywood star Michael Jai White.
“Two weeks before that fight, I was hanging out with Michael Jai White, that m*********** is legit by the way, and he was showing me how to throw techniques without no fat, no tell, no telegraph. It was the hardest s*** ever, I’m still working on some of it. He was showing me the spinning back kick and I think I was this close to him and he was like, ‘You can do it from here’ and I was like what?! He showed me how to move my body that way so when I did that jump spinning back kick, I took away the fat a little bit because I expected him to move a certain way and it just lined up perfectly.”
UFC Heavyweight Mick Parkin Says Alex Pereira May Struggle At Heavyweights With Keeping Opponents Off Him
“Poatan” went from middleweight up to 205-pounds seamlessly and with his ferocious power, he clearly has the ability to put anyone out cold.
Heavyweight contender Mick Parkin believes that Pereira may encounter one issue if he does decide to compete with the big boys on the roster.
Parkin, who regularly trains alongside the interim champion Tom Aspinall, is looking to match the longest active win streak in the division when he returns at UFC 304.
He spoke in a recent interview with Violent Money TV about how despite Pereira’s improving grappling defense, this could become an issue for him against larger opponents.
“It’s a lot different, the size. I think he’s amazing, he just keeps taking these fights and knocking everybody out. He hits so hard that he could definitely hit as hard at heavyweight and knock any heavyweight out in the world. His defensive wrestling is actually looking good but with a bigger guy it’s a lot harder so it might be a bit harder for him to get a bigger guy off on top of him. He might come up and get huge, he’s still got a big frame for it.
“But yeah, the bigger guys, I don’t know if he’s that confident as well that he would just walk the big guys down and think I’m knocking you out or if he’d be a bit more, ‘oh I don’t want to get taken down by these guys’. I don’t know how his mindset is but I definitely feel he could do good.”
Jon Anik Believes That Nate Diaz Makes A Lot Of Sense For Dustin Poirier’s Farewell Fight
There aren’t too many options out there right now that make sense for Dustin Poirier following his lightweight title fight loss at UFC 302.
“The Diamond” recently said that he was leaning towards this being his last outing because at this stage, what is he fighting for if he isn’t trying to become the champion.
One match-up that UFC commentator Jon Anik believes would be a great way to close out his career is one of the few big names in and around his weight class that Poirier is yet to face.
He was booked to fight Nate Diaz in what would have been a massive fight at Madison Square Garden back in 2018 but it never took place due to Poirier withdrawing due to an injury.
“Nate Diaz is a massive superstar and that is among a myriad of reasons why Dustin Poirier is of an appetitive nature for that particular fight and match-up and part of the reason we talked about this in context was not just Nate Diaz suggesting that he wants to come back to the UFC and pursue a championship but also because I was with Dustin Poirier recently and there aren’t that many fights that make sense for him and even some of the match-ups that have been suggested have some relative downside.”
