At UFC 313, Alex Pereira faces a pivotal moment in his MMA career as he defends his light heavyweight title against the formidable Magomed Ankalaev.
This matchup is widely considered the toughest test of Pereira’s stint at 205 pounds, sparking debate about his ability to overcome a highly skilled contender.
Despite the challenge, Pereira’s devastating power and striking precision always make victory a possibility. And should that be the case, beyond this weekend’s fight, speculation continues to swirl about the future of “Poatan.”
Jon Anik, a leading voice in commentary for the UFC, has presented intriguing possibilities for Pereira’s next move.
One notable suggestion is a potential return to the middleweight division, where Alex Pereira previously held the championship. This scenario could set up exciting matchups and compelling narratives for the Brazilian fighter.
“Alex Pereira can still make middleweight, and he wants to fight Dricus du Plessis,” Anik said. “He did not defend the UFC middleweight championship. Of all the accolades for the future UFC Hall of Famer Alex ‘Poatan’ Pereira, he never defended the middleweight championship, and if you think for a second that he doesn’t have an appetite — no pun intended — to go back down to 185 (pounds), you’re absolutely crazy.
“If the calendar doesn’t align for him to challenge Jon Jones or Tom Aspinall in the heavyweight division, I don’t think he’s going to stick around at 205 to fight Bogdan Guskov, even though you and I f*cking love the guy. He’s probably going to try to go down to 185 and fight Dricus Du Plessis.”
