Dreams of conquest never let the fighters sleep, and Alex Pereira, as such, is hoping to be the first to get his hands around three UFC belts. The former middleweight champion and the present light heavyweight champion has his sights set on heavyweight glory. But UFC CEO Dana White has interrupted his dream.
The boss has laid down a gauntlet that would make Hercules sweat. So what is White’s condition? Well, he has asked that Pereira must first “wipe out” the entire light heavyweight division and then he can think of moving weight classes.
“Let Alex do what he’s doing in the division. And you know what? If he wipes out the entire division and we are sitting here, who’s next? Then let him move up to heavyweight and do some type of super fight there,” Dana White via Kevin Iole.
Pereira’s meteoric rise in the UFC has been nothing short of spectacular. He went from an unknown fighter in the UFC to a middleweight champ and soon went on to become the light heavyweight king in just seven fights. Now, the Brazilian powerhouse wants to add the heavyweight belt to his collection.
Meanwhile, potential opponents in both divisions are licking their chops. In the light heavyweight class, fighters like Magomed Ankalaev are chomping at the bit. Up in heavyweight, the prospect of a Pereira vs. Jon Jones super-fight looms large. Pereira’s story for the glory is far from over, as fight fans will be eagerly awaiting his next show in the Octagon.
Dana White Not Looking Forward To Seeing Alex Pereira Fight At Heavyweight
Pereira, the two-division champion, has his sights set on heavyweight glory. However, he has a big hurdle on his way. This hurdle comes not from a fighter but from the CEO himself, White, the UFC’s no-nonsense CEO. White has thrown cold water on Pereira’s heavyweight ambitions, and his reasons are as practical as they are blunt.
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Dana White stated that Pereira was not a big guy for heavyweight. A transition from middleweight to light heavyweight is an okay trade for the Bossman, but a move to heavyweight is a big NO from him.
“It’s a whole other level going up to heavyweight…He [Pereira] was 230lbs today, right? Chuck Liddell and Forrest Griffin [former UFC Light Heavyweight Champions] used to walk around at 230. That’s not big. Some of these heavyweights are 265 lbs – and they’re cutting to get to 265. It’s just a whole other level,” White said at the UFC 303 post-fight press conference.
White’s concerns aren’t unfounded. The jump from light heavyweight to heavyweight is like going from riding a bicycle to piloting a jumbo jet. The size difference is staggering, and the power these behemoths pack is downright scary. Whether or not he will take on these guys remains to be seen. Till then, the heavyweight division is already bustling with big fights on the horizon.
Also Read: VIDEO: Mark Zuckerberg Gets The Best Of UFC Champion Alex Pereira In Mock ‘Olympics’
