A former UFC champion has shared his thoughts on Alex Pereira’s prospects in the heavyweight division. Earlier this year, Pereira, who previously held titles in two weight classes, moved up to heavyweight after relinquishing his light heavyweight belt. On June 14, he faced Ciryl Gane at UFC Fight Night 250 for the interim heavyweight title but suffered a second-round knockout by “Bon Gamin.”
Following his challenging debut at heavyweight, “Poatan” is now set to face Sergei Pavlovich at UFC 335. Alexander Volkov, who has faced Pavlovich before, weighed in on the matchup and Pereira’s chances at this weight. Volkov, nicknamed “Drago,” warned that Pereira could enter a losing streak, especially against Pavlovich, who is known for his devastating knockout power. At 34 years old, Pavlovich boasts 18 professional knockouts and has finished notable fighters such as Glover Teixeira, Curtis Blaydes, Tai Tuivasa, and Derrick Lewis, frequently ending bouts in the first round. Volkov told Helen Yee:
“I see Alex Pereira going on a losing streak because it’s a very hard matchup for him, especially because Pavlovich punches very hard, honestly. If you compare his style, not a good matchup for him.”
Despite this caution, Volkov expressed excitement about the upcoming UFC 335 pre-fight press conference, adding:
“It will be a very awesome press conference with both of them. One of them will say, ‘We’ll see,’ and the other one will say, ‘Chama.’”
The MMA community continues to debate whether Pereira has the ideal build to compete at heavyweight. Many argue that the Brazilian does not need to bulk up unnecessarily. For instance, undefeated prospect Josh Hokit has demonstrated that a fighter can weigh around 231 pounds and still compete successfully in the heavyweight division. Pereira’s knockout power is expected to remain strong, and adopting a similar strategy to Hokit could allow him to regain the speed and movement that made him such a threat at 205 pounds and middleweight.
Fan Take: This insight from Volkov is important for fight fans because it highlights the challenges elite fighters face when moving up in weight, reminding us that power alone may not guarantee success. Pereira’s journey could redefine how fighters approach the heavyweight division and potentially change the landscape of UFC’s biggest weight class.
Source: www.lowkickmma.com
