Gentle heavyweight champion Alex Pereira and one-time title challenger Anthony Smith buried the hatchet following a disagreement by interviews and over social media.
The fighters met forward of UFC 307 on Saturday the place Pereira defends his title towards Khalil Rountree in the primary occasion. The phase featured a dialog between the sunshine heavyweights at a neighborhood tattoo store in Salt Lake Metropolis, however the dialog began after Smith reached out to Pereira’s longtime coach Glover Teixeira.
“I’m grateful to you for reaching out,” Pereira stated to Smith. “Ever because you spoke to Glover, I don’t assume there may be any malice, there’s no bitterness concerning the again and forths that we had. In the present day, I’m significantly better. I really feel actually good.”
The volatility between the fighters grew out of Smith breaking down Pereira’s performances as a part of his job as an analyst for the UFC and numerous podcasts the place he seems. Smith beforehand informed MMA Preventing that nothing he was saying was meant as “speaking shit” however relatively simply his vital evaluation of Pereira’s preventing fashion within the octagon.
In response, Pereira finally challenged Smith to a grappling match and Smith responded by promising that he would “choke the shit out of him” if they really locked horns.
Whereas Smith maintained his opinion on Pereira’s preventing fashion, he acknowledged relatively vehemently that he wasn’t taking low blows or attempting to fire up hassle when addressing the Brazilian’s talent set.
Through the assembly forward of UFC 307, Smith made positive that Pereira knew he had nothing however the utmost admiration for him as a fighter.
“Except for the aggressive rivalry or no matter it was earlier than, I’ve bought a number of respect for you,” Smith stated. “I’m a giant fan of your sport. I like watching you battle.”
Pereira stated a lot the identical and he downplayed the exchanges they shared, which bought a number of headlines however didn’t essentially imply they have been truly at one another’s throats.
“Some individuals can’t think about it as a result of typically we discuss slightly little bit of trash on the web and even due to a rivalry,” Pereira stated. “Even with people who I’ve already fought, I all the time attempt to deliver near me as a result of I’m a man who’s evolving. I believe these individuals may help me and I benefit from it.”
Pereira can now add Smith to his circle of belief after beforehand befriending previous opponent Sean Strickland, who got here to assist him put together for Rountree forward of their showdown on Saturday.
