During UFC 291, Alex Pereira marked his light heavyweight debut with a commanding victory over former champion Jan Blachowicz.
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During UFC 291, Alex Pereira marked his light heavyweight debut with a commanding victory over former champion Jan Blachowicz. Following his triumph, fans rallied for the UFC to arrange a championship bout between Pereira and Jiri Prochazka. It seems their wishes may be coming true as discussions about the potential matchup arise.
In the past year, the UFC light heavyweight championship has experienced two transitions, with the most recent occurring when Jiri Prochazka was forced to relinquish the title in December 2022 due to a serious shoulder injury sustained during his training sessions.
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After securing a five-round win against Alex Pereira’s coach, Glover Teixeira, Jamahal Hill went on to claim the vacant title at UFC 283. However, ‘Sweet Dreams’ faced adversity several months ago when he suffered an Achilles tendon tear while playing basketball with fellow UFC fighters. Subsequently, Hill made the official decision to vacate the title, leaving the division without a reigning champion.
Nonetheless, as per Alex Pereira, the UFC has conveyed to him that his forthcoming bout in the 205-pound division will indeed be a championship contest. During a recent interview with “Poatan” and The Schmo, Pereira’s coach, Glover Teixeira, issued the following statement:
“Yeah man, like [Pereira] always says, for sure he’s gonna fight for the belt. That was already set with the UFC during the last fight, and that’s it.”
Should Alex Pereira’s assertions prove true, ‘Poatan’ will have vied for UFC titles in two different weight divisions after just six fights within the organization.
Prochazka envisions a strong partnership with Pereira, and while the exact date might not be paramount, he maintains his anticipation of facing Pereira sometime in 2023. Prochazka had initially been slated for a title rematch against the reigning champion Teixeira before his injury.
As Teixeira is not only a dear friend but also a mentor and a pivotal figure in his transition from kickboxing to MMA, Prochazka holds him in high regard. Although the anticipated rematch won’t come to fruition, Prochazka considers Pereira as an excellent alternative. To ensure readiness against adversaries of various styles, including Pereira, the Czech fighter is committed to evolving into a well-rounded martial artist.
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