Alex Pereira is one win away from cementing what UFC analyst Michael Chiesa believes would be an undeniable case as the greatest fighter in the promotion's history.
Chiesa, a recently retired welterweight veteran who now serves as a desk analyst for the UFC, made his position clear when discussing Pereira's upcoming interim heavyweight championship fight against Ciryl Gane at UFC Freedom 250 on June 14 at the White House.
"If he beats Ciryl Gane, without a doubt he's No. 1," Chiesa told MMA Junkie. "You could make the argument if Alex Pereira — I don't care if you want to split hairs over the undisputed championship or the interim championship, if you want to split hairs on that, that's on you.
But if someone can capture three UFC belts in three different weight classes, you have thrust yourself into the conversation as greatest of all-time. Not of the decade, we're talking all-time. He's one win away from going to the top of an ultra-prestigious, very controversial list."
Pereira has already won titles at middleweight and light heavyweight, making a victory over Gane historically unprecedented. No fighter in UFC history has captured championship gold in three separate divisions, and doing so at 38 years old would add another dimension to the achievement.
Chiesa emphasized that Pereira's legacy is not contingent on the Gane result, pointing to the frequency and manner of his finishes as qualities that stand regardless of what comes next.
"The frequency of the fights and the way that he finishes his fights, he is must-see TV," Chiesa said. "Alex, whether he beats Ciryl Gane or not, whether he wins his next three or loses his next three, one thing is for sure, we have to appreciate what he's done and appreciate him while we have him, because we will never see another fighter like Alex Pereira."
UFC Freedom 250 takes place June 14 at the White House in Washington D.C.
