Alex Pereira tends to deal with his enterprise contained in the cage, somewhat than settling the rating with trash discuss, nevertheless it was almost unattainable for the UFC gentle heavyweight champion to disregard some latest feedback made about him.
Ever since he knocked out Jamahal Hill in simply over three minutes within the UFC 300 most important occasion, Pereira has heard chirping from his previous opponent and that hasn’t slowed down a lot currently. Simply seconds after Pereira demolished Khalil Rountree Jr. at UFC 307, Hill reacted by yawning on the efficiency and later added that he was “not impressed” by the Brazilian’s newest win.
From the sound of issues, Pereira is becoming bored with the fixed verbal jabs coming from Hill, who hasn’t fought since he bought completed again in April.
“I’m going to be actual trustworthy with you, if that efficiency with Khalil was shit, the place does Jamahal rank — the efficiency I had towards him?” Pereira informed Uncrowned. “If that struggle was crap, so think about the struggle [against Jamahal].
“How can he say that? I’m going to be trustworthy, I’m not going to additional discuss Jamahal. I’m on a distinct degree.”
Whereas it’s fairly apparent that Hill nonetheless has some work to do earlier than he might probably name for a rematch, Pereira plans to remain busy as he seems forward at a brand new yr in 2025.
As champion, Pereira doesn’t really feel like he has to name his shot relating to what’s subsequent and that’s the best way he likes it.
“I don’t have no person in my thoughts,” Pereira stated. “The group got here with Khalil final time and it was a shock for me, too. I don’t actually select opponents.”
Pereira won’t wish to identify anyone however all indicators are pointing in direction of an eventual showdown towards Magomed Ankalaev — if the Russian can get by means of Aleksandar Rakic subsequent week at UFC 308.
Ankalaev has been very vocal about his need to dethrone Pereira, particularly after he successfully bought handed over for the title shot that went to Rountree.
Together with his struggle simply days away, Ankalaev’s supervisor Ali Abdelaziz beforehand informed MMA Combating that so long as he takes care of enterprise at UFC 308, then a struggle towards Pereira could be subsequent.
For his half, Pereira isn’t within the enterprise of turning down fights, though he’s getting somewhat fed up listening to from Ankalaev and his staff so that may change his thoughts on the way to approache these subsequent negotiations.
“Some individuals say Ankalaev [is next] however I’m going to be trustworthy with you, him and his supervisor have been speaking plenty of crap saying that I don’t wish to struggle, this and that,” Pereira stated. “However the actuality is the group doesn’t need him to struggle as a result of he’s boring. Individuals don’t like to observe him struggle. He’s not a man that sells pay-per-views.
“Actually, that’s disrespectful that they’re making an attempt to place it on me. As a result of it’s less than me, it’s as much as the group. The group doesn’t wish to make the struggle. However now as a result of they preserve saying that, preserve disrespecting, possibly I’ll make it somewhat bit even tougher for them to struggle [me].”
Clearly it doesn’t matter what, Pereira has loads of choices accessible to him, particularly after he stepped up and headlined three separate pay-per-view playing cards for the UFC in 2024.
Pereira admitted after his win over Rountree in October that he was coping with a large number of points together with some well being issues that just about made him pull out of the struggle.
Together with his physique needing some relaxation and placing collectively a really busy schedule in 2024, Pereira is prepared for somewhat break now, proper?
“Ideally, I might struggle round June, it will be ultimate, however possibly I’d wish to struggle round March even,” Pereira stated. “However truthfully I might struggle in December proper now. However the issue is these two fights [at UFC 303 and UFC 308] occur [so close together] and we had plenty of different appearances, plenty of journeys, plenty of enterprise to do.
“We needed to push them after these two fights, it was scheduled earlier than. The blokes who organized it understood, however we’ve some obligations to do. I really feel round March is an effective date [to fight again].”
