Alex Pereira has built a Hall of Fame resume in the UFC in a relatively short span. The GLORY Kickboxing Hall of Famer has already headlined two blockbuster PPVs in 2024. The Brazilian won both fights via brutal finish, making Chael Sonnen put the 37-year-old in the same light as ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson and Anderson ‘The Spider’ Silva, two legends of combat sports.
Speaking to Daniel Cormier on the recent Good Guy / Bad Guy episode, Sonnen predicted Pereira would become the pound-for-pound best. Moreover, he felt the UFC light heavyweight champion had begun to scare off his competitors.
“In my lifetime, two guys—Anderson Silva and Mike Tyson—went into a category where they had such fear they would shut people down in the locker room. People would stop calling them out. They would get a phone call about a fight and think, ‘Oh man, I don’t want to do that fight,’ and their whole training camp would be about how to leave safely,” Sonnen said, adding “Pereira is going to enter the category of Anderson Silva and Mike Tyson, becoming almost a stoic enigma.”
2nd-Ranked Russian Ready to Face Pereira
Even though Sonnen stated challengers are evading Pereira, the 47-year-old revealed one light heavyweight won’t fear Pereira. Having already defeated Jiri Prochazka, Jamahal Hill, and Jan Blachowicz, three former light heavyweight champions, the Brazilian is 4-0 against the top 5. However, he has not defeated a certain former title challenger.
“Up to this point, including Jiri Prochazka two Saturdays ago, fighters went out there and competed, believing they could beat him. They saw a blueprint and tried to execute it. I predict for you, aside from [Magomed] Ankalaev, there’s not a 205-pounder out there who wants him, who will call him out, or who will compete to their full ability,” Sonnen said.
Will Ankalaev defeat Pereira if they fight? Betting odds say so. However, the Russian fighter has been discussing striking with the Brazilian, which is not a good game plan.
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Also Read: Anthony Joshua’s Advice for Alex Pereira Sparks Heated Debate With Magomed Ankalaev
