Alex Pereira has extra incentive to support Sean Strickland in his upcoming fight at UFC 312, where Strickland will challenge Dricus Du Plessis for the middleweight title in a rematch.
Leading up to the fight, Strickland has revealed that Pereira harbors a strong dislike for Du Plessis. This tension comes after both fighters previously expressed interest in facing each other, with each willing to change weight classes to make the bout happen.
Although Du Plessis has recently spoken positively about Pereira and his accomplishments, he has also expressed his own ambitions of becoming a two-division champion like "Poatan." However, according to Strickland, Pereira’s feelings toward Du Plessis are far from neutral.
I think Alex is an angry motherf*cker,” Strickland said in an interview with the UFC. “Like, Alex is angry, and for some reason, dude, he hates Dricus. Like, I don’t know what you did to him, but he f*cking hates you, dude.
So, it’s like, the way he looks at Dricus sometimes, I’m like, ‘Dude, I’m fighting him, dawg. Like, it’s me, dude.’ But yeah, no, Alex, he just has that hate in his heart, and he’s a good dude, so he’s out there, and I was like, ‘Let’s come on, let’s get it in.’