Alex Pereira has already built a Hall of Fame resume in a handful of fights in the UFC. The Brazilian fighter has banked on his striking prowess to emerge victorious across middleweight and light heavyweight. There is a reason why Pereira is the betting favorite in his upcoming fight, and Alexander Volkanovski knows why.
Pereira’s upcoming fight is against Jiri Prochazka in the main event of UFC 303. It is a rematch of their first encounter at UFC 295, in which the Brazilian defeated Czech Republican via second-round TKO. Preluding the title fight, Alexander Volkanovski, the former pound-for-pound king, revealed why he picked the champion to retain the title at UFC 303.
Inside Volkanovski’s Fight Prediction
In their first fight, Pereira won over his Czech Republican counterpart with a left hook and follow-up elbows, forcing referee Marc Goddard to step in. However, many felt Goddard prematurely stopped the fight as Prochazka didn’t look hurt. Alexander Volkanovski picked Pereira to win at UFC 295, and his sentiment was the same for UFC 303.
“I think it’s going to be exciting. They’re both going to hit each other. They’re both going to crack each other. You might even see both of them getting wobbled, or you might even see Alex Pereira get wobbled, then he ends up finishing the fight. I think it might be that type, type of fight, for sure. But I’m going to have to go with Alex Pereira. It’s five rounds; I’m going finish. Obviously, I’m going KO, I’m not going submission,” Volkanovski revealed his pick via his official YouTube channel.
Volkanovski was impressed by Pereira’s recent sparring with Demsey McKean, an Australian heavyweight boxer. The former featherweight champion felt Pereira is more durable at light heavyweight due to a relatively short weight cut. Israel Adesanya had hurt Pereira multiple times at middleweight, but power punchers like Jan Blachowicz, Jamahal Hill, and Jiri Prochazka couldn’t at light heavyweight.
Furthermore, “The Great” revealed it was hard for him to pick against “Poatan,” considering how the Brazilian has been fighting. After all, Pereira is 7-1 in the UFC, with 5 fights against champions or former champions. Moreover, after UFC 303, he will have fought more title fights than normal fights in the UFC.
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Also Read: UFC 303 Predictions: Alex Pereira vs. Jiri Prochazaka 2 Preview and Picks
