Alex Pereira sends message to Dricus du Plessis confirming interest in middleweight comeback
Alex Pereira has directed a message toward Dricus du Plessis regarding a possible return to the middleweight division. 'Poatan' suggested that irrespective of his upcoming fight's outcome, he'll revisit his former weight class and compete for the UFC middleweight title one more time.
Pereira is a former UFC middleweight (185-pound) champion and the reigning UFC light heavyweight (205-pound) champion. He's fresh off a second-round TKO victory against ex-light heavyweight kingpin Jiri Prochazka in their rematch in June 2024.
Du Plessis is the UFC middleweight champion, who notched his first title defense by beating combat sports megastar Israel Adesanya via fourth-round submission at UFC 305 in Aug. 2024.
Incidentally, Pereira had won the middleweight belt by beating Adesanya via fifth-round TKO in Nov. 2022 and then lost it via second-round KO in their rematch in April 2023. 'Poatan' also holds a pair of kickboxing victories over Adesanya.
Immediately after Adesanya's loss in Aug. 2024, Alex Pereira made the following Instagram post, teasing a potential middleweight title fight against du Plessis. Pereira's written statement in it, translated from Brazilian Portuguese, read:
"I'm going down to 84kg again. Coming down to 185 one more time."
Presently, Pereira is scheduled to defend his light heavyweight title against Khalil Rountree Jr. at UFC 307 on Oct. 5, 2024. Meanwhile, the consensus is that du Plessis would likely defend his middleweight title in a rematch against Sean Strickland next.
Pereira has now made another Instagram post, asserting that he'll fight Rountree at light heavyweight and then drop down to fight du Plessis for the middleweight belt. He posted the same photo as the one in his Aug. 2024 Instagram post, featuring himself seated in front of a TV watching du Plessis be announced as the winner at UFC 305.
Pereira's statement in his latest Instagram post read:
"I'm focused on my next fight and I'm going prepared but you never know what can happen , so regardless of the result I want to go down one more time to the middleweight and go for the belt. Hey Dricus, bring your will to fight me so you can prove that you are better than me, with your public statement it is easy to make this happen, Chama."
Alex Pereira's response to Dricus du Plessis warning him against UFC middleweight comeback
During the UFC 305 post-fight press conference last month, Dricus du Plessis spoke about Alex Pereira teasing a middleweight return. 'Stillknocks' recalled Pereira's last middleweight bout, a knockout defeat against Adesanya.
Emphasizing that he'd dominantly defeat Pereira, du Plessis implied that the Brazilian would have the excuse of the weight cut depleting him if he lost at middleweight. Ergo, the South African warned him against it and claimed he'd rather face 'Poatan' at light heavyweight.
Watch du Plessis' warning below:
Taking to his YouTube channel, Alex Pereira responded by reiterating that he could move down to middleweight for one more fight. He further speculated that perhaps du Plessis feared fighting him, which is why he's attempting to dissuade him against a return to 185 pounds.
Alluding that he's changed weight classes multiple times in his kickboxing and MMA careers, the UFC light heavyweight kingpin said:
"Explaining what du Plessis said, it seems like he's a bit scared."
Watch Alex Pereira's assessment below (2:55):