Alex Pereira needs that Dricus du Plessis struggle, he’s simply undecided if the UFC middleweight champion feels the identical approach.

“Poatan,” who is ready to defend his mild heavyweight title towards Khalil Rountree in the primary occasion of UFC 307 in Salt Lake Metropolis on Oct. 5, has just lately teased the chance that he would drop again right down to middleweight, the division through which he received his first UFC title in 2022. Particularly, he put out the potential for a struggle with du Plessis following du Plessis’ win over Israel Adesanya at UFC 305.

Any substantial matchup negotiations between the 2 are unlikely to return to fruition for months, however Pereira insists that they’ll begin speaking about it now if du Plessis is open to it.

“Dricus positively is a neater struggle than combating Jon Jones,” Pereira instructed FULL SEND MMA by way of a Portuguese translator. “I believe making weight will probably be more durable than the struggle, however I did cease making that weight class as a result of I stated my physique wanted a break two or three fights with out having to make that reduce.

“Now I believe I’ve rested lengthy sufficient, I believe I can positively do this and make the struggle occur, however it is determined by him. I confirmed curiosity many instances, however he by no means replies.”

It’s not simply du Plessis’ alleged reluctance to struggle that has Pereira miffed. The Brazilian knockout artist questions whether or not du Plessis is critical about reserving a struggle towards a prime contender subsequent, whether or not it’s himself or a rematch with Sean Strickland.

“The best way that he presents himself is all the time jokes when he responds,” Pereira stated. “Like, he stated the stuff to Strickland, for instance. He’s by no means critical. He’s all the time trolling someway when the topic is offered to him.

“He by no means takes it critical, so it reveals that he’s scared, you understand what I imply? As an alternative of him simply saying, ‘Look, UFC. Let’s make me and Pereira struggle.’ Clown.”

As soon as du Plessis caught wind of Pereira’s feedback, he was fast to reply on social media.

“A scared clown, how dare you,” du Plessis wrote. “Now that’s taking it too far. I’ve already stated I’m in to struggle both you or [Strickland]. What extra would you like or ought to I tag your translator?”

Pereira received the UFC middleweight title in simply his eighth MMA struggle following a embellished professional kickboxing profession that included two wins over Adesanya. He knocked out Adesanya at UFC 281 to say the title earlier than dropping it to his longtime rival in a rematch 5 months later. He later grew to become mild heavyweight champion with a knockout of Jiri Prochazka and his fame as a multi-division menace has him set as much as doubtlessly struggle du Plessis or heavyweight champion Jon Jones.