Alex Pereira Seeks Revenge at UFC 320 After Facing Adversities
The world of contact sports is preparing to witness a crucial confrontation. Alex Pereira, former UFC middleweight and light heavyweight champion, will face Magomed Ankalaev in an anticipated rematch at UFC 320. This fight comes after Pereira’s defeat in March, an event that revealed a series of physical and personal challenges that affected his performance. Jorge Guimarães, Pereira’s manager, noticed something unusual about the fighter before his fight against Ankalaev. Pereira, known for his endurance, was complaining about his physical condition. Guimarães, accustomed to Pereira’s injuries, knew something was wrong. “He never complains, except when he’s losing weight,” commented Guimarães. In March, Pereira ceded the light heavyweight title to Ankalaev by unanimous decision, in what many considered his worst performance in the UFC. On Saturday, in Las Vegas, he will seek revenge. It will be the first time since 2023 that Pereira is not the favorite in the betting.After the defeat, it was revealed that Pereira was not 100% for the fight. His physical therapist, Kaue Yub, revealed that Pereira was suffering from a stress fracture in the tibia and got sick in Australia, receiving antibiotics shortly before the fight. Yub pointed out that the fighter had been overtraining and not resting enough, which affected his performance. Despite the defeat, Pereira and his team believe that injuries and the tight fight schedule took their toll at UFC 313. After the fight, Pereira took a well-deserved rest, visiting his family in Brazil and reducing his travels. Yub accompanied him, and Pereira focused on recovery. The Pereira team has highlighted the importance of this recovery period. Plinio Cruz, their head coach, mentioned that Pereira stayed at home and in the gym during preparation for the rematch, a significant change compared to their previous travel schedule. The defeat in March could result in the best version of Pereira we have seen in years. Guimarães doesn’t remember the last time Pereira entered a fight completely healthy, but the team is confident that things will be different this time. When asked at the UFC Performance Institute if he knew something the world doesn’t know heading into this matchup, Cruz smiled. “I feel very, very good about this one, brother.”“As soon as I left the Octagon that night, I knew what I needed to correct. Honestly, there’s not much to change. I just needed to heal my body and take care of myself…”
Alex Pereira
