While Alex Pereira is currently on an incredible run of form in the 205-pound division, a UFC legend is unsure whether he has what it takes to claim the heavyweight throne.
In his remarkable career, ‘Poatan’ has claimed championship belts in kickboxing and MMA, utilizing his formidable power to render some of the greatest fighters on Earth unconscious with his devastating left hook.
Jorge Masvidal doesn’t want Alex Pereira to move up to heavyweight
At UFC 303, Alex Pereira rubber-stamped his place in the upper echelons of the pound-for-pound rankings with a thunderous knockout victory over Jiří Procházka.
The thunderous head kick quickly went viral, with MMA enthusiasts around the globe screaming for the dangerous Brazilian to step up to the promotion’s heaviest weight class.
Both the title holders, Jon Jones, and interim champion, Tom Aspinall, have welcomed the idea of giving the former Glory champion an opportunity to prove himself in a third weight class.
However, the two men sitting a top the division, both present monumental challenges, which Jorge Masvidal believes the esteemed striker would struggle to overcome.
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During an episode of the Full Send Podcast, ‘Gamebred’ revealed that while the hype for Pereira to make history is rife, he’d rather the 36-year-old continue to make waves in his current division.
He explained: “I don’t want to see him move up to heavyweight. I really like this spot that he’s in right now. He’s beaten a lot of the top guys at 205lbs, but he was at 185lbs not so long ago.
“Let him do his thing and cement himself at 205lbs before they have him move up to heavyweight with nothing but uncomfortable match-ups, with guys who are not going to stand with him for a second. They are just going to look to take him down straight away, smother him, drop the weight and rest on him.
“I personally want him to stay at 205, but there are still some good match-ups. But whatever he does, I’m going to be watching.”
While Pereira might just be a shade too small to claim victories over Jones and Aspinall, there’s still a plethora of light heavyweights desperate for their shot at the big time.
Magomed Ankalaev calls out Alex Pereira for UFC title fight
While Pereira’s tremendous performance last Saturday would’ve understandably deterred many a competitor from setting foot in the cage with him, it did nothing but motivate Magomed Ankalaev to prove he has what it takes to dine at the top table.
The Russian contender is slowly cementing his place as one of the best 205 fighters in the world, most recently defeating Johnny Walker via brutal knock out back in January.
Born in Dagestan, the gifted athlete developed his grappling skills in sambo, before later falling in love with his hands.
Blending all his tools together, Ankalaev made an enormous splash on the amateur scene, winning the world and Russian championships.
Now, with an 18-1-1 (1) record, the 32-year-old is ready to challenge for the grandest prize in the sport, and he’s not afraid of the man he’d have to take it from. The sportsman recently called out his rival, making an extraordinary claim about his striking skills.