Bareman in a Submission Radio: It would be nice for Strickland to win, because Strickland’s body of work is good enough to fight for a title, “Whereas if Pereira wins, he’s still got to do more work.”
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Eugene Bareman, the head coach of City Kickboxing, has doubts regarding whether Alex Pereira’s victory over Sean Strickland at UFC 276 would secure him a title shot. It’s worth noting that Pereira holds two kickboxing wins against middleweight champion Israel Adesanya. On July 2, Pereira will face Strickland on the same fight card where Adesanya will defend his title against Jared Cannonier.
Pereira’s potential victory could lead to a rematch with Adesanya in MMA. However, Bareman believes that Pereira must prove himself further in the octagon before earning a title shot. According to Bareman, Strickland’s impressive track record positions him as a more deserving contender due to his solid performance in the UFC.
Bareman, who did not coach Adesanya during his loss to Pereira in kickboxing, does not feel a strong personal attachment or desire for revenge in this situation. He believes that he and Adesanya consider Strickland a more logical and credible opponent based on his track record.
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Bareman explained that he wasn’t personally involved in the fight when Israel lost to Pereira. Therefore, he doesn’t possess a deep-seated desire to seek revenge by attacking Pereira. It is worth considering whether Israel might harbour such sentiments instead.
Bareman asserts that Pereira, despite his kickboxing triumphs over Adesanya, is simply another contender seeking to ascend the rankings in the world of MMA. Bareman suggests that Adesanya probably doesn’t excessively dwell on this situation; instead, we should focus our attention on Strickland, who has the potential to emerge as a formidable title challenger if he manages to secure victory.
Bareman expressed his viewpoint, stating that Strickland’s body of work is formidable enough to warrant a title bout. Conversely, if Pereira emerges victorious, he must continue to prove himself with further accomplishments. Therefore, in the event of Strickland’s triumph, it sets the stage for a decisive encounter that can potentially take place eight weeks later.
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