One UFC legend was left bemused when Alex Pereira was awarded a controversial decision back in 2023.
Pereira is currently preparing for his second fight of 2025, as the fan-favorite former kickboxer looks for revenge against Magomed Ankalaev and a quick return to the light heavyweight throne.
The rematch between Pereira and Ankalaev at UFC 320 will come less than four years into the Brazilian’s Octagon career, but he has already achieved incredible things.
‘Poatan’ notably reached two-division glory in record time in the UFC, with his 205-pound crowning coming just two years after his debut in the promotion and after he had already enjoyed a brief middleweight reign.
But to make Pereira’s knockout against Jiri Prochazka to become light heavyweight champion possible, Chael Sonnen believed that one of the division’s former kings had to be ‘screwed’.
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Judges were accused of ‘screwing’ Jan Blachowicz in Alex Pereira’s UFC light heavyweight debut
After Israel Adesanya knocked out Pereira to bring his rule over the 185-pound division to a quick end, ‘Poatan’ announced an immediate move up to light heavyweight.
It did not take long for the Brazilian star to get on the winning board in his new division, defeating ex-champ Jan Blachowicz on the scorecards at UFC 291 in July 2023.
While that result in Salt Lake City immediately earned Pereira a title shot, which he went on to make the most of, Sonnen insisted in a video uploaded to his YouTube channel that Blachowicz had been robbed by the judges.
“I do miss the days where the judges know where we’re at as an industry and then screw a guy over to serve that narrative,” Sonnen said. “They’re back, they were back on Saturday.
“There is no reasonable world where Alex Pereira won that fight. That’s not Chael’s opinion, that’s math.
“He lost rounds one and three,” Sonnen continued. “He did not have a 10-8 in round two, and if he did, he would’ve got what’s known as a draw, which is not what he was given.”
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Jan Blachowicz still insists that he beat Alex Pereira
Sonnen was not alone with his thoughts on Pereira’s debut win at 205 pounds.
Unsurprisingly, given his visible shock when the result was read out, Blachowicz has been consistently vocal about his disagreement with the judges ever since UFC 291.
The following year, Blachowicz reiterated that he beat Pereira while calling for a rematch as ‘Poatan’ continued to forge a strong reign on the light heavyweight throne.
“I believe that I deserve the rematch. I proved that when we fought,” Blachowicz told Fanatics View.
“I still believe that I won that fight. The (judges) saw it differently with the scores, but yeah, I believe I won that fight against him and deserve the rematch,” he added.
Things did not go to plan for the Polish veteran in his first fight back. After overcoming serious shoulder injuries, Blachowicz was narrowly beaten by Carlos Ulberg at UFC London this past March in another close decision.