UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira has offered a timeline for his return as he shuts down talks of moving up to heavyweight.
Following his win over Jiri Prochazka at UFC 303 this past June, Alex Pereira hinted at possibly moving up to heavyweight in an attempt to become the first fighter in UFC history to win a title in three separate weight classes.
That news didn’t sit well with number two ranked light heavyweight, Magomed Ankalaev, who has been relentlessly campaigning on social media to be the next one to challenge ‘Poatan’ for his 205lb title.
Alex Pereira shuts down heavyweight as his potential next move
Despite that, the 37-year-old has seemingly made his decision to stick at light heavyweight for his next fight, and to continue to defend his 205lb strap.
The Brazilian admitted that one of the reasons why he has made this decision is because the heavyweight title picture is unclear at the moment, with Tom Aspinall holding an interim title, with the undisputed champion, Jon Jones, still sitting on the sidelines.
“It doesn’t interest me to fight (Tom Aspinall) at the moment,” Pereira stated in a video on his YouTube channel.
“To be honest, heavyweight isn’t my goal, it isn’t my main focus. Tom Aspinall, not talking him as a fighter, I’m talking positions. I think I’m in another position now. It doesn’t make sense for me to fight for the interim belt, honestly,” the light heavyweight champion added.
Aspinall is scheduled to defend his interim title against Curtis Blaydes in the co-main event of UFC 304, on July 27, whereas Jones’ next fight is still yet to be announced, leaving ‘Poatan’ in a difficult position.
Although the Brazilian star isn’t thinking of moving up to heavyweight for his next fight, he does still plan to eventually move up in an attempt to once again make history.
“If I go to heavyweight, I would fight (for) the belt. Like I said, I’m 37, so I have to go straight to the top, straight to the belt. If it’s Jon Jones, if it’s Tom Aspinall, whoever, it doesn’t matter to me,” Pereira continued.
Alex Pereira gives a timeline for his return to the Octagon
Despite being the oldest current champion, Pereira has been one of the most active and has saved the UFC’s two biggest events so far this year, in UFC 300 and 303.
With that, he has earned a deserved break from the Octagon, but he doesn’t want to be out for too long as he has revealed he wants one more fight before the years out.
“When I return, it won’t be now. I want to rest a little, evolve my training. But I think December would be a good date for me. November or December. But before November I don’t want to return. I want to rest and evolve,” the Brazilian revealed.
Pereira has recently been criticized by Artem Vakhitov, the last man to beat him in kickboxing but he did respond by claiming the Russian ‘must be lost’.
It is fellow Russian, Ankalaev, that Pereira may have his eye on, though, as his goal is to defend his 205lb belt again.
“My focus is to defend my belt, doesn’t matter who. A lot of people say Ankalaev, that’s who they are talking about now. People are focused on him. But I’m training well, not just for him, but for anyone. It’s a good fight for me to fight. I’ll be well prepared for him, or anyone.”
Former champion, Jan Blachowicz, also cheekily threw his name in the hat recently to be Pereira’s next challenger, but because the Brazilian already beat him last year, it is unlikely that he will be picked over the deserved Ankalaev.