Alex Pereira isn’t ruling out a transfer as much as heavyweight however says he might want to make the soar in weight the precise means.
Pereira moved as much as gentle heavyweight after dropping his middleweight title in April after struggling a KO loss to Israel Adesanya. He ended up beating Jan Blachowicz in his gentle heavyweight debut after which scored a knockout win over Jiri Prochazka in November to change into the promotion’s new gentle heavyweight champion.
Since changing into the champ, Alex Pereira shared a cryptic publish on his Instagram which many thought hinted at him going to heavyweight to try to change into a three-weight champ at UFC 300.
Nonetheless, Pereira says a heavyweight transfer isn’t imminent as he has to do it the precise means, and in addition shut down any talks of him preventing Tom Aspinall at UFC 300.
Tom Aspinall and Alex Pereira providing us breadcrumbs. pic.twitter.com/5iwNnbx5Qz
— Oscar Willis (@oscarswillis) December 23, 2023
“Properly, he fought at middleweight and I needed to hearken to my physique to go as much as battle at gentle heavyweight, my physique stated I needed to go up. I’m a fighter, I’ll battle anybody, I’ve the peak and the dimensions of a heavyweight however that is one thing that must be programmed, do some work on, it’s not one thing I simply soar in on an journey. I need to make issues in the precise means, I can battle at heavyweight sooner or later, however I’ve to be well-planned, so proper now my focus is on my gentle heavyweight reign,” Pereira said to TheMacLife about preventing Tom Aspinall at UFC 300.
Not solely has Alex Pereira shut down discuss of preventing Tom Aspinall at UFC 300, however he additionally believes Jon Jones remains to be the true champion. If Jones decides to vacate the belt, Pereira believes Aspinall must win one other battle to change into the undisputed champion.
“Jon Jones is the champ, he obtained injured. Until one thing occurred main like Prochazka who vacated his belt, Jon Jones remains to be the champ. Tom Aspinall is the interim champ. All credit score to him for doing an awesome job, however we will’t put Jon Jones’ credit score on the aspect. If Jon Jones says the belt is vacated proper now, Tom Aspinall is the champ however he has to do a battle to win the true title,” Pereira stated.
With Alex Pereira targeted on his gentle heavyweight title, it’s unsure when the Brazilian will return or who he’ll battle. Magomed Ankalaev faces Johnny Walker in January, whereas Jiri Prochazka takes on Aleksandar Rakic at UFC 300, so a kind of winners may very well be Pereira’s subsequent opponent. However, one factor is for positive, Pereira gained’t be preventing Aspinall his subsequent day out.