Alex Pereira Eyes Return at White House Event After Fracture
UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira revealed that he is focusing 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 (13-3) regained his 205-pound championship by knocking out Magomed Ankalaev (21-2-1) in just 80 seconds at UFC 320 in Las Vegas. This matchup was a rematch of their fight in March, where Pereira lost the belt to Ankalaev by decision after five rounds. Immediately after regaining the title, Pereira was seen with a walking boot on his left foot. During a public appearance in Rio de Janeiro this week, Pereira confirmed the fracture in his left 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.Following his victory at UFC 320, Pereira was scheduled to challenge former heavyweight champion Jon Jones, but opted for a moment of silence in memory of the recent passing of Jones’s older brother, former NFL player Arthur Jones. Pereira and Jones have expressed interest in facing each other in the past. Jones retired from MMA earlier this year, but announced plans to return and participate in the White House event. This week, Pereira did not reveal an estimated return date or a specific opponent. He has several options for his next challenge, including a title defense against contenders like Jiří Procházka and Carlos Ulberg, or a jump to heavyweight to face the winner of this month’s title fight between Tom Aspinall and Ciryl Gane. Pereira has had bone fractures before and has returned within a timeframe similar to what it would take to fight in June.“I had an X-ray in Las Vegas and then an MRI [in Brazil],” Pereira said in Portuguese. “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]. That’s something that interests me now.”
Alex Pereira
