“A Little Lighter” – Alex Pereira Reveals How Much He Plans to Weigh for UFC 335 Clash With Sergei Pavlovich
Alex Pereira will not make the same mistake in his next bout that he made on his heavyweight debut.
Pereira is set to return to the octagon in December in the co-main event of UFC 335 against Russian knockout artist Sergei Pavlovich. This bout is a five-rounder, confirmed by Dana White.
Pereira’s TKO loss to Ciryl Gane at UFC Freedom 250 raised questions about whether carrying those extra pounds affected his movement and speed. For his heavyweight debut, Pereira weighed in at 251 pounds, while his opponent, Ciryl Gane, came in at 248 pounds.
Many have suggested Pereira should have focused more on conditioning while moving up instead of simply adding more mass and looking massive.
The former two-division UFC champion seems to have paid heed to all the feedback and is approaching the Pavlovich bout differently.
Earlier today, on The Ariel Helwani Show, Alex Pereira said:
“I’ll be lighter. I think I’ll be around 110 kg [242 lbs]. I just feel that I gotta be a little lighter.”
Check out Alex Pereria’s comments below:
Alex Pereira Fires Back At Haters Who Believe He “Cannot Take A Punch”
Following his TKO loss at UFC Freedom 250, Alex Pereira has faced criticism from several figures in the MMA community. Henry Cejudo has claimed that “Poatan” has skipped many lines, while Josh Hokit has suggested that the Brazilian is highly favored by the UFC brass and spoiled.
Pereira was also trolled by fans. Many said the 39-year-old cannot absorb shots and that competing at 265 pounds is a completely different ball game, perhaps not meant for “Poatan.” Former UFC double champion Daniel Cormier also suggested that Pereira should move back down to 205 pounds.
Even now, many are predicting that come UFC 335, Sergei Pavlovich will send Pereira to the showdown realm in Round 1.
Pereira has now responded to those questioning his ability to take a punch. He told Helwani:
“First of all, the fools that say I cannot take a punch, I can call them a bunch of idiots. At the end of the day, I took those punches in the beginning of the fight. Everybody was still fresh. Anybody who takes a hit like that, sometimes people go down, go out cold. I didn’t. I was still able to fight.”
Check out Alex Pereria’s comments below:
Also read: Magomed Ankalaev Accuses Alex Pereira’s Team of Targeting His Injury At UFC 320