Alex Pereira will move up to light heavyweight following his knockout loss to Israel Adesanya at UFC 287.
Pereira (7-2 MMA, 4-1 UFC) lost his middleweight title when he was stopped in Round 2 by Adesanya (23-2 MMA, 12-2 UFC) in their rematch this past Saturday in Miami.
Both Adesanya and UFC president Dana White said afterward that they see Pereira’s future at light heavyweight, but “Poatan” wants to clarify that his move up has nothing to do with a struggled weight cut to 185 pounds.
“My next fight will be at 205,” Pereira said on his YouTube channel. “Yeah, you heard right. My next fight will be at 205. I think I did my work at 185, and now I’m feeling good to go up to 205. Like I told you, when I’m feeling good, I will go up. This will be something natural, and now I think it is.
“My next opponent, I can’t tell you, but I will keep you updated here on my channel. But as well, I want to make one thing clear: The division 185, I always made weight. A lot of people had doubts, but I always fulfilled my obligation. But now it’s the moment to go up to the next division. This will be better for me.”
With their series tied 1-1 in MMA and Pereira holding two prior wins over Adesanya in kickboxing, the likes of Daniel Cormier and Henry Cejudo think a trilogy bout should have been next. While Pereira insists he could have gotten an immediate rubber match, he sees light heavyweight as a viable option.
“All of you saw the provocation from Adesanya after the fight. He acts as if he has won against me three times,” Pereira said. “But it’s not like this. But I understand, or try to understand, the happiness he has. It was his dream to win one time against me – and now he did. But let’s see what will be his behavior. I’m going up to light heavyweight because it’s a good option for me. But I’m sure if I would stay in this division, I could fight with him directly. Let’s see how he behaves. I’m going up because it’s my option, and I talked to my team, and they think, as well, that it’s a great option for me.
“So I’m going up. I’m not going up because I can’t make the weight anymore. I will always be able to make 185. Let’s see his behavior. He’s behaving like this because Dana White spoke after my fight about my weight. And it seems like he’s thinking, ‘Oh, this guy will never make weight again. I can (provoke) him because he won’t do anything.’ I’m sure if I insisted on fighting him immediately, the UFC and my promoters will make it happen. So we will see how Adesanya will behave now and hereinafter. I make this very clear to all of you.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 287.
Former UFC champ Alex Pereira announces move to light heavyweight: ‘This will be better for me’