The UFC light heavyweight champion, Alex Pereira, has revealed his plans for the future, after suffering a fracture in his left foot during his recent fight. Pereira, who regained the 205-pound championship by knocking out Magomed Ankalaev in just 80 seconds at UFC 320, is currently in the recovery process. The fight was a rematch of the March encounter, where Pereira lost the title by decision. Immediately after winning the belt, he was seen wearing an orthopedic boot. During a public appearance in Rio de Janeiro, Pereira confirmed the fracture in his left foot. The 38-year-old fighter expects to return in eight months, and has his sights set on the UFC event at the White House, scheduled for June 14.
Following his victory at UFC 320, Pereira intended to challenge former heavyweight champion Jon Jones, but instead requested a moment of silence in memory of Jones’ brother, Arthur Jones, who recently passed away. In his statements this week, Pereira did not specify a date for his return nor a defined opponent. There are several options for his next challenge, including a title defense against contenders like Jiří Procházka and Carlos Ulberg, or a possible 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 timeframe similar to what he would need to be ready to fight in June.I had an X-ray in Las Vegas and then an MRI in Brazil. 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