5 best possible opponents for Alex Pereira as UFC light heavyweight champion
This past weekend at UFC 295, Alex Pereira became the promotion’s latest double champion by beating Jiri Prochazka for the light heavyweight title.
Following his win, the big question is who should be next for Alex Pereira? Right now, there are a number of possible opponents for him. Whether ‘Poatan’ can hold onto his belt for a lengthy period is debatable, but for now, it should be interesting to see him try.
Here are the five best potential opponents for Alex Pereira as UFC light heavyweight champion.
#5. Alex Pereira vs. Johnny Walker
Okay, so it’s probably fair to say that if he wants a shot at Alex Pereira and the UFC light heavyweight title, Johnny Walker needs to win at least one more big fight. However, the Brazilian may not be as far away as it seems.
Prior to his last fight, he was riding a three-bout win streak, defeating Ion Cutelaba, Paul Craig, and Anthony Smith. Had he knocked off Magomed Ankalaev, who is currently ranked at No.3, he could well have been in line for a title shot.
Of course, that fight ended in controversy. Walker was caught by an illegal knee in the first round, resulting in the bout being declared a No Contest. That means that an immediate rematch is coming next January.
If Walker can get past Ankalaev, a fight with Pereira would certainly make sense. Both men are explosive strikers, with Walker in particular deploying a wild style that sees him attack from any possible angle at points.
Essentially, a fight between Pereira and Walker would be a similar stylistic match to the recent bout between ‘Poatan’ and Jiri Prochazka, and everyone was excited for that.
Therefore, while he might not be able to take his shot just yet, Walker is definitely one of the best possible opponents for the new champ.
#4. Alex Pereira vs. Jan Blachowicz 2
Prior to his knockout win over Jiri Prochazka this past weekend, Alex Pereira’s only fight at 205 pounds in the octagon saw him face off with Jan Blachowicz at UFC 291.
‘Poatan’ came away with a split decision that night, earning his title shot, while Blachowicz was left to lick his wounds after missing such a big opportunity.
However, it’s worth noting that the fight was a razor-close one to call, and in fact, a number of observers felt Blachowicz deserved the nod. If nothing else, the Polish fighter put Pereira into more difficulty than most have been able to in a ground-based first round.
Could there be money in a rematch, then? It’s possible. Blachowicz has already thrown some shade at ‘Poatan’ on social media, stating that he has “unfinished business” with the Brazilian.
Right now, of course, Blachowicz has his hands full in the form of a rematch with Aleksandar Rakic. However, given that the fight is scheduled for January, if he can get past ‘Rocket’ again, there’d certainly be an argument for booking a rematch with Pereira to settle the score.
#3. Alex Pereira vs. Magomed Ankalaev
In a parallel universe, Magomed Ankalaev, and not Alex Pereira would be holding the UFC light heavyweight title right now.
Last December, Ankalaev faced off with Jan Blachowicz for the title vacated by the injured Jiri Prochazka. In the eyes of the Russian's team and some in the community, he was 'robbed' of a deserved victory.
The judges' scorecards resulted in a draw, and because it wasn’t all that entertaining, Ankalaev was overlooked in favor of Glover Teixeira and Jamahal Hill for the next title fight. The rest, as they say, is history.
Since then, Ankalaev has only fought once, going to a No Contest with Johnny Walker after hitting the Brazilian with an illegal knee. However, the Dagestani is still ranked at No.3 in the division, and another win for him – perhaps over Walker in their rematch – would probably move him right back into contention.
More to the point, thanks to his powerful wrestling game, he’d probably represent the trickiest test for Pereira in the entire division. Could ‘Poatan’ really stop Ankalaev from taking him down? It’d be very difficult to say.
Overall, the UFC may look to avoid this fight purely because Pereira is a more marketable champion than Ankalaev would be. From a sporting perspective, however, the Dagestani would be one of the best possible opponents for ‘Poatan’ right now.
#2. Alex Pereira vs. Israel Adesanya 3
When Alex Pereira defeated Jiri Prochazka for the UFC light heavyweight title this past weekend, it was hardly a surprise that he mentioned his old rival Israel Adesanya in the immediate aftermath.
After all, the two men have a storied history dating back for years now. Pereira famously stopped Adesanya twice in the kickboxing ring, then followed him to the UFC and took his middleweight title away.
Earlier this year, though, ‘The Last Stylebender’ knocked out ‘Poatan’ to avenge his losses, reclaiming his title in the process.
Since then he’s lost it to Sean Strickland and has vowed to take a leave of absence, but could a second shot at light heavyweight gold against his greatest rival tempt him back early?
It’s definitely possible, and while Adesanya has not earned a title shot at 205 pounds, a fifth combat sports fight with ‘Poatan’ would be a big money one, likely making it attractive to the UFC.
If Adesanya can be persuaded to return early, then, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see this fight booked. ‘The Last Stylebender’ might not belong at 205 pounds, but he’s definitely one of the best possible opponents for Pereira right now.
#1. Alex Pereira vs. Jamahal Hill
The best possible opponent for Alex Pereira to defend his newly won UFC light heavyweight title against right now is definitely Jamahal Hill.
The two men do not have the storied history that Pereira shares with Israel Adesanya, but there’s definitely enough layers there to make this one a potential money fight.
Firstly, ‘Sweet Dreams’ was the last champion in the division before Pereira, and he never actually lost the title, instead vacating due to injury.
Interestingly, though, the man who Hill beat for the title – and retired in the process – was Glover Teixeira, who stands as the mentor and coach to ‘Poatan’.
At the time that Hill defeated Teixeira, much was made of the way that Pereira stared ‘Sweet Dreams’ down, and while it didn’t lead to a fight right away, the footage would make an easy sell for the UFC in the future.
Add in the fact that, like Pereira, Hill is a very skilled striker who is capable of picking opponents apart and also knocking them out, and this would be a stylistically fun fight, too.
If Hill is healthy in time, the UFC should look at making this fight soon, because it’s definitely the best possible clash to book at 205 pounds.