Shara Magomedov not impressed with Alex Pereira's fighting skills but admits the Brazilian is "a great example" to learn from
Alex Pereira has enjoyed a swift rise in the UFC, displaying striking skills that are nothing short of remarkable. However, Shara Magomedov recently said that he doesn’t find himself particularly drawn to the UFC light heavyweight champion's overall fighting abilities.
During a recent interview with Red Corner MMA, Magomedov was asked to share his thoughts on his coach Gor Azizyan's assertion that 'Bullet' is not only more entertaining but also a more versatile fighter than Pereira. He replied:
"I think so [yes]. Why not? He boxes, kicks, nothing extraordinary."
However, the undefeated Russian credited 'Poatan' for his signature kicks. Magomedov noted that Pereira's accomplishment of becoming a two-division UFC champion and achieving such tremendous success in just two years is impressive and serves as a valuable example to learn from:
"His sidekicks are a bit non-standard, he’s a great fighter, and his fights are entertaining. Not many UFC fighters get to the title so quickly. There’s a lot that I can learn from him. He’s a great example."
Check out Shara Magomedov's comments below:
'Poatan' successfully defended his 205-pound title for the third time this year, earning a fourth-round TKO victory over Khalil Rountree Jr. at UFC 307 earlier this month. Pereira captured the then-vacant championship by defeating Jiri Prochazka at UFC 295 in November 2023.
Meanwhile, Magomedov is poised to make his fourth appearance in the octagon this Saturday at UFC 308, where he will face Armen Petrosyan in a middleweight bout. 'Bullet' is entering this matchup on the heels of a unanimous decision victory over Michal Oleksiejczuk at UFC Abu Dhabi in August.
Chael Sonnen names Alex Pereira as top MMA heavyweight above Jon Jones and Francis Ngannou
During a recent episode of the Good Guy/Bad Guy show, Chael Sonnen suggested that Alex Pereira could be the top heavyweight fighter in MMA, surpassing both Jon Jones and Francis Ngannou. Sonnen asserted that 'Poatan' possesses the striking skills necessary to outmatch both fighters in a potential matchup:
"I'm going to ride with Alex Pereira. Our heavyweight champion that we're discussing [Ngannou] has fought one time in three years; our other heavyweight champion has fought one time in four years and only once in the division. So, for me to pick a guy who's only threatened to come to the division is not as crazy as you think... I don't think those guys can strike with him."
Check out Chael Sonnen's comments below (4:14):
Having already secured UFC titles in both the light heavyweight and middleweight divisions, Alex Pereira has hinted at the possibility of making history as the promotion's first-ever three-division champion if he successfully transitions to heavyweight.