He may have already achieved champion status in two UFC divisions and continues to rule over the light heavyweight class through two successful defenses, but Alex Pereira insists he is still continuing to evolve as a mixed martial artist.
Since a brief reign at middleweight, Pereira has emphatically conquered some of the top names at 205 pounds. In four fights, "Poatan" has defeated three former champions in Jan Błachowicz, Jiří Procházka, and Jamahal Hill.
And after successfully retaining possession of the belt on two occasions this year thus far, Pereira will return for his third defense at UFC 307 in Utah this weekend, where the challenge of Khalil Rountree awaits him.
Having held titles in two weight classes and established himself as a top name toward the top of the pound-for-pound ladder, some would be forgiven for forgetting that Pereira is just 13 fights and four committed years into his MMA career.
With that in mind, the Brazilian's success has come alongside his continued growth in the sport. And as he approaches his latest outing in the cage, a further evolved "Poatan" is feeling better than ever.
Pereira Touts 'Significant Strides' In UFC 307 Camp
During episode one of the UFC 307 Embedded: Vlog Series, Pereira looked ahead to his third Octagon outing in quick succession.
While he's not had much time to breathe between defenses in 2024, the Brazilian kickboxing specialist and his team have still spoken highly about the progress made behind the scenes.
And in that regard, "Poatan" has seemingly had his best camp to date.
This camp I've made significant strides in my overall progress and my preparation," Pereira said. "Like I said to Glover, 'Now I understand this game.' And he replied, 'I can see that.' So it seems like something has clicked. I feel very confident and great.
Pereira will look to show those improvements come fight night in the "Beehive State" this weekend, where yet another successful title defense in 2024 could leave his case for Fighter of the Year undeniable.
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