UFC vet claims Alex Pereira could make quick turnaround after UFC 300 main event fight thanks to special "contract negotiation"
A UFC lightweight veteran recently asserted that Alex Pereira could make a rapid turnaround after the UFC 300 main event fight due to specific terms in his contract negotiations.
'Poatan' is set to put his light heavyweight championship on the line against former titleholder Jamahal Hill in the headline fight of the monumental pay-per-view (PPV) event scheduled for April 13 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Last month, the Brazilian disclosed that he inked a fresh eight-fight deal with the promotion following the confirmation of his UFC 300 bout. Former 155-pound fighter Josh Thomson believes this extended contract could facilitate Pereira's return to action in the next PPV event, UFC 301, scheduled for May 4 in Rio de Janeiro.
During a recent episode of his Weighing In Podcast (via BJPENN.com) with John McCarthy, 'The Punk' stated:
"I also heard that if Alex Pereira gets out of his UFC 300 fight with Jamahal Hill, he wants to be on that card [UFC 301]. Apparently, that was part of his contract negotiation. If he gets the win and he comes out healthy, he’s allowed to fight on that card. Yeah, that was part of, I guess, apparently, his agreement to fight on [UFC] 300."
Check out Josh Thomson's comments below (1:07:26):
Initially, 'Poatan' was targeted as the main attraction at UFC 301. Back in January, he voiced his ambition to surpass Ronda Rousey's record for the quickest championship return. Opting to participate in Brazil would mean a mere 21-day gap after his title defense on April 13. Presently, Rousey holds the record with two title defenses in just 56 days.
Pereira has achieved remarkable success in the UFC, etching his name in history as the fastest fighter to claim two division championships in just seven bouts. This unprecedented feat saw him dethrone longtime adversary Israel Adesanya to win the middleweight title before transitioning to the 205-pound division.
Jiri Prochazka on a potential rematch with Alex Pereira
After securing a split-decision triumph against Jan Blachowicz at UFC 291 in July, Alex Pereira clinched the vacant light heavyweight title with a second-round TKO victory over Jiri Prochazka at UFC 295 in November 2023.
During an exclusive interview with Andrew Whitelaw for Sportskeeda MMA, Prochazka discussed whether he would be interested in stepping back into the octagon with 'Poatan' for another bout:
"I’m not like the person who’s looking for revenge, but he’s in the game, I’m in the game. And last fight was about the details, and right now, I’m working on these details. … I believe in my abilities, in my power, and in all these things. Alex Pereira has to know that until the moment [knockout], I was better in that fight, and everybody saw that."
Check out Jiri Prochazka's comments below (10:27):