Alex Pereira, despite his relatively short tenure in the UFC, has already participated in several iconic fights. This Saturday, UFC 320 in Las Vegas will host a light heavyweight title rematch between Magomed Ankalaev and Alex Pereira. Their first encounter at UFC 313 concluded with an unexpected victory for Ankalaev, who dominated the Brazilian in striking for five rounds. Although there initially seemed to be mutual respect between them, their rivalry has intensified leading up to the rematch, culminating in a tense confrontation at the UFC PI.
Pereira Details His Favorite UFC Fight and Contrasts It with the Ankalaev Rematch
During his comparatively brief, three-year UFC career, “Poatan” has engaged in numerous classic bouts and historic rivalries. However, none surpasses his legendary feud with Israel Adesanya, widely considered one of the greatest in combat sports history. Upon joining the UFC in 2022, Pereira already had a long-standing history with then-middleweight champion Adesanya. After only a few victories, he earned a title shot against “The Last Stylebender,” marking their third direct confrontation, including their kickboxing matches. The Brazilian secured a famous fifth-round knockout victory over Adesanya, managing to turn the tide after losing the previous rounds.
Now, as he prepares for his rematch with Ankalaev, Pereira has explained why that win over Adesanya remains his favorite fight and how this rivalry differs from his current one with the Russian.
“Nothing compares to that win over Adesanya,” Pereira stated at a UFC 320 pre-fight press conference. He emphasized, “With the whole history in kickboxing, everything that I went through… Many sometimes think that to promote a fight, you just need to say a lot of things and create animosity, but that`s not what it is. You need history and a backstory, and (Ankalaev) is doing it all wrong.”
Pereira Still Considering a Move Up to Heavyweight
One reason for the magnitude of Pereira`s rivalry with Adesanya was the fact that both fighters were considered major stars in the sport. Ankalaev has not yet been granted such a status; moreover, a former UFC heavyweight has claimed that Ankalaev`s championship reign “harms the UFC.” Throughout his time as the light heavyweight champion, Pereira has consistently hinted at a potential move to the heavyweight division. Ahead of UFC 320, he continues to assert that such a transition in the future is almost inevitable.
