Alex Pereira’s camp for his latest UFC light heavyweight title defense can’t be called typical.
‘Poatan’ will face Magomed Ankalaev in the main event of UFC 313 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on March 8.
A month out from fight night, you’d expect Alex Pereira to be locked in a gym working on his game.
However, he’s currently in Australia to corner Sean Strickland against Dricus du Plessis when they clash in a middleweight title rematch at UFC 312, which will take place at Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena on Sunday morning local time.
- READ MORE: Alex Pereira made Sean Strickland pay for trash talk with KO – now they have teamed up for UFC 312
Alex Pereira spars Diego Lopes in new training footage
Pereira may be a long way from home, but he’s making sure he’s training to the best of his ability during his time down under.
The Brazilian KO artist recently shocked fans by stepping on a scale to reveal his current weight.
At 235lbs, he still has some work to do in order to make the UFC’s light heavyweight limit next month.
Featherweight contender Diego Lopes has seemingly been drafted in to give the champ a workout.
Footage of the two men taking part in a light sparring session is currently doing the rounds on social media – but it doesn’t seem ideal for Pereira to be training alongside someone who competes 60lbs below his weight class.
Alex Pereira’s UFC 312 decision questioned by MMA legends
Former UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping recently commented on whether Pereira’s role at UFC 312 could negatively impact his upcoming fight.
Fellow UFC Hall of Famer Daniel Cormier had also expressed concerns that Pereira’s travel plans might significantly disrupt his preparations.
“DC thinks it’s a bad idea. I’ve got a theory on why he’s saying that,” Bisping said on his YouTube channel.
“The reality is, for Alex Pereira, flying to the other side of the world a few weeks before his title fight against Magomed Ankalaev, that a lot of people think is the toughest matchup for him at 205, and I’ll probably agree with that, as well.
“Daniel Cormier said once you go to Australia, you have to deal with jet lag, different food. The training regimen won’t be the same, and all the rest of it. They are all valid points, and by the way, the whole time Pereira is doing that, Magomed Ankalaev is working his a– off.
“Because if Pereira beats him, he becomes a legend himself, and every single time he’s standing there with Sean Strickland and doing all that type of stuff, Pereira is not advancing his game, he’s not defending takedowns and all the rest of it. So what is going on?”