Watch - Alex Pereira goes at it with a light heavyweight Glory kickboxer
A video of Alex Pereira sparring has surfaced on YouTube.
‘Poatan’ turned the middleweight division upside down last month by beating long-reigning champion Israel Adesanya at UFC 281. Pereira was two minutes away from losing his world title opportunity before his power was too much for Adesanya to handle.
Now that some time has passed I think it'd be fun to re-visit this stoppage. Alex Pereira TKOs Israel Adesanya in Round 5 at #UFC281: Good, bad or meh stoppage? https://t.co/01NhC3Jq9f
All eyes in the middleweight divisions are now on Pereira. The 35-year-old was recently seen sparring hard in a YouTube video posted by TheMacLife. It’s not confirmed whether the footage is new or old, but ‘Poatan’ still managed to catch the attention of MMA fans.
The training video showed Pereira sparring with GLORY light heavyweight Clyde Brunswijk. ‘Poatan’ went after Brunswijk with his relentless pressure and vicious power. The middleweight champion displayed his composure while showing why he’s one of the most dangerous strikers in the UFC.
Going into UFC 281, most people knew Pereira could pull off an upset because of his power. With that being said, seeing ‘Poatan’ become a UFC champion in only four promotional fights was crazy to watch. The question is, who’s next for the 35-year-old Brazilian?
Watch the YouTube video of Alex Pereira sparring below:
Chael Sonnen suggests Robert Whittaker should fight Alex Pereira next
Israel Adesanya is expected to get an immediate rematch against Alex Pereira, but things change quickly in the MMA world. During the aftermath of UFC 281, Adesanya revealed that he needed some time to recover from a few injuries, which sparked a debate about other options if ‘Poatan’ wants to stay active. Chael Sonnen recently recommended Robert Whittaker in a YouTube video by saying:
"Robert Whittaker was willing to do it [fight vs. Costa] and didn't get it.... I who believes in a forfeiture clause, believe that Whittaker just won. I believe we now have our fight, it's Pereira vs. Whittaker. That's what I believe."
Whittaker was supposed to fight Paulo Costa at UFC 284 before Costa pulled out over contract disputes. ‘The Reaper’ is now in a weird spot, as he might need another win before fighting for the title.
Meanwhile, Pereira waits for whoever the UFC puts in front of him. The former GLORY kickboxer won all three of his fights in 2022 and made a massive statement by dethroning Adesanya inside the distance.
Robert Whittaker explains that he will not be fighting in Perth at all after Costa fight fell through. Maybe title next? https://t.co/UYEApuTJXh