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The UFC light heavyweight champion has only just won his second UFC title, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t interested in potentially hunting down a third. Even if it doesn’t sound like the move will be happening anytime soon.
Alex Pereira is not headed for UFC 300
Having started his career in the middleweight division and only recently moving up to light heavyweight, Alex Pereira may have the size move to heavyweight, but it seems that’s not what’s on his radar at the moment. That’s an unfortunately loss for fans, after he posted a cryptic message on his official Instagram, which had many thinking he could be headed to UFC 300 for a bout with Tom Aspinall.
“I had a dream – it was 30 plus 300 is equal to three, and I got confused on all those numbers,” Pereira told TheMacLife (transcribed by MMA Junkie). “I tossed it on there to see if people could help figure out the equation. Like the other day I had a dream about some numbers, and I played a raffle in Brazil and won a motorcycle.
“Then two months later, it was actually real. I had another one, and I put some more numbers and won another motorcycle. So I’m like, ‘You know what? Post this for the fans and see if they can help figure it out.’ I had 30 plus 300 is equal to three. We’re all trying to figure it out too.”
Pereira wants to make the smart move
Even though he’s poured cold water on the move for the moment, fans still have reason to get excited. The Brazilian may not be thinking about moving to heavyweight right now, but it seems he’s still considering the idea for the future. ‘Poatan’ claims he just wants to be smart about it and plan it carefully.
“I fought at middleweight, and I had to reset my body to go up to fighting at light heavyweight,” Pereira said. “I’m a fighter. I’ll fight anybody, anywhere. I have the height and the size of a heavyweight, but this is a thing that’s got to be programmed, put some work in. It’s not just something I jump in on. I want to make things the right way. I can definitely fight at heavyweight, maybe some day in the future. But it’s got to be something that’s well planned. So right now I’m focused on my light heavyweight reign.”
In his last outing, Alex Pereira (9-2) won the UFC light heavyweight belt—defeating former champ Jiri Prochazka for the division’s vacant title, back in November. The win put the 36-year-old on a two-fight win streak in the weight class, with a split decision against another former champion in Jan Blachowicz, in July of this year.
The Brazilian’s last loss dates back to his last middleweight outing, when he got knocked out by longtime rival Israel Adesanya, in April 2023, losing his belt in the process.