“Single” Alex Pereira’s grappling exchanges with Polyana Viana take MMA Twitter by storm
Alex Pereira recently joined forces with fellow Brazilian strawweight fighter Polyana Viana in a sparring session.
A recent training video featuring the reigning UFC light heavyweight champion alongside 'Dama de Ferro' is gaining traction on social media. The footage captures 'Poatan' initially trading strikes with Viana, followed by both fighters transitioning to the ground for grappling exchanges.
Watch the sparring video of Alex Pereira and Polyana Viana below:
The video prompted a diverse range of reactions from the MMA community.
One fan wrote:
"Single Alex is a menace bro ain’t no way he went for a takedown 😂😂."
Another wrote:
"All of a sudden 'Poatan' is a grappling specialist 😭"
Check out some more reactions below:
"Imagine he just swung a full power left hook."
"Dudes got the most rizz in the UFC."
"Strategically, he decided to take the fight to the ground and force her in turtle position."
This marks the second occasion Pereira and Viana have been spotted together in public. Last month, both fighters were photographed wearing matching jackets following reports of 'Poatan's' split from her former partner, Merle.
'Dama de Ferro' suffered a second-round TKO loss against Gillian Robertson in the preliminary card of UFC 297.
Meanwhile, Pereira is gearing up to defend his 205-pound title against former champion Jamahal Hill in the main event of UFC 300. The promotion's milestone pay-per-view event is scheduled to take place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on April 13.
Alex Pereira targets back-to-back main events at UFC 300 and UFC 301
UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira is keen on headlining both UFC 300 and UFC 301 with a quick turnaround.
'Poatan' was originally targeted to headline the pay-per-view event scheduled for May 4 in Rio de Janeiro. In January, the Brazilian suggested his aim to surpass Ronda Rousey's record for the shortest championship turnaround. If he were to compete in Brazil, it would entail a 21-day gap after defending his title on April 13. Rousey currently holds the record with two title defenses within 56 days.
In a recent video on his YouTube channel, Pereira said through a translator:
"Since I was already talking to the UFC about UFC Brazil, and it’s something that was already kind of agreed but didn’t happen, there’s this possibility [to fight at UFC 301]. The UFC likes to see me fighting. I think that would be a good idea if all goes right. If I win and I’m not injured, I would ask for that. But one step at a time. The focus now is to win and defend this belt."
Check out Alex Pereira's comments below (8:30):