Alex Pereira Eyes Return at White House Event After Fracture
UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira revealed his plans to focus on a possible fight at the White House event in June, after suffering a fracture in his left foot during his recent title fight. Pereira, with a record of 13-3, regained the 205-pound championship by knocking out Magomed Ankalaev in just 80 seconds at UFC 320 in Las Vegas. This fight was a rematch of their March encounter, where Pereira lost the belt by decision after five rounds. After the victory, Pereira was seen using an orthopedic boot on his left foot. In a public appearance in Rio de Janeiro, he confirmed the fracture in his foot. The 38-year-old fighter expects to return in eight months, coinciding with the UFC’s visit to the White House on June 14.Initially, Pereira intended to challenge Jon Jones, former heavyweight champion, after his victory at UFC 320, but instead requested a moment of silence in memory of Jones’s brother, Arthur Jones. Pereira and Jones have shown interest in facing each other in the past. Jones, who retired from MMA earlier this year, has announced his return for the event at the White House. In his statements, Pereira did not specify a date for his return or an opponent. Options for his next challenge include a title defense against contenders like Jiří Procházka and Carlos Ulberg, or a move up to heavyweight to face the winner of the fight between Tom Aspinall and Ciryl Gane. Pereira has experienced bone fractures previously and has managed to recover in a similar timeframe, which could allow him to be ready to compete in June.“I had an X-ray in Las Vegas and then an MRI in Brazil,” Pereira said. “It showed a fracture in my foot, but I still don’t know what will happen or how long the recovery will take. I think it’s good to focus on this fight [at the White House]. Now, that’s something that interests me.”
Alex Pereira
