Brendan Miller
Alex Pereira isn’t ruling out a heavyweight fight, but he may have been too ambitious with his schedule. Pereira’s body simply won’t allow him to compete twice in three weeks at UFC 300 and UFC 301.
Pereira called a heavyweight fight on the May 4th pay-per-view, shortly after knocking out Jamahal Hill in the main event of UFC 300 on April 13th. Pereira had already expressed his ambition to fight on both cards, but surprised everyone with the heavy wrinkle. Two broken fingers – one suffered before and one during the fight on Hill – make a quick recovery impossible.
“I was imagining the best possible scenario [when I called for a heavyweight fight at UFC 301]but I have two broken toes,” Pereira told MMA Fighting on Monday, adding that he will receive medical clearance in early May.
Champion-hopping divisions, often to champion-versus-champion superfights, have created several stalemates over the years. Pereira is open to facing interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall if his team and the UFC deem it appropriate, but becoming a three-division champion is not his immediate priority. Pereira’s desire to compete at heavyweight was more a question of activity and comfort.
“I don’t want to delay the light heavyweight division,” said Pereira. “A cool scenario would be to fight at heavyweight [at UFC 301] and then give someone the opportunity to fight for the light heavyweight belt next. I think it would have been cool.
“If it’s a longer period, obviously I’d prefer to defend my belt. If it takes too long and I fight at heavyweight and I get injured, when will I defend my belt? the division.”
Pereira agrees that Magomed Ankalaev, currently ranked second in the official UFC light heavyweight rankings, is among his most viable opponents. The champion welcomes the fight, but not in the schedule proposed by Ankalaev for UFC 305, in Abu Dhabi, on October 26th.
“I don’t want to fight at the end of the year,” said Pereira. “I want to fight sooner, so maybe this shows that he won’t be ready. I don’t know why he said that.
“Honestly, I have to see what is best. I’m here to fight, but I don’t understand other things better like where is better [to fight] and where it is not. If I have to fight there I’ll go, but if it’s not a match I want, then it’s not the best for me. I can say no.'”
If Pereira has to wait that long, he would prefer to take another month off and fight closer to home. He suspects the promotion will continue its recent tradition of scheduling a November PPV in New York City, a short drive from its neighboring home in Danbury, Connecticut.
“It makes perfect sense,” said Pereira. “Wait another month and I’m fighting at home? It’s so much better.”
