Alex Pereira Focused on White House Event After Fracture
UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira has revealed his plans following his recent victory in the octagon. After suffering a fracture in his left foot during his title fight, “Poatan” is looking towards a possible matchup at the UFC event at the White House in June.
Pereira, with a record of 13-3, regained the 205-pound championship by knocking out Magomed Ankalaev in just 80 seconds at UFC 320.
The rematch, which took place in Las Vegas, was a demonstration of Pereira’s determination, who sought to redeem himself after losing the title to Ankalaev in March.
After the fight, Pereira was seen with an orthopedic boot on his left foot. In a public appearance in Rio de Janeiro, the 38-year-old fighter confirmed the fracture, mentioning that he expects to return in eight months, coinciding with the UFC’s visit to the White House on June 14.
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’s going to happen or how long it will take me to recover. I think it’s good to focus on this fight [at the White House]. Now, that’s something that interests me.
Following his victory at UFC 320, Pereira was scheduled to challenge former heavyweight champion Jon Jones, but opted for a moment of silence in honor of the recent passing of Jones’s older brother, Arthur Jones. Pereira and Jones have previously expressed mutual interest in facing each other.
Although Jones retired from MMA earlier this year, he has announced plans to return and participate in the event at the White House.
Pereira has not revealed a specific date for his return nor a particular opponent. Options for his next challenge include defending the title against contenders like Jiří Procházka and Carlos Ulberg, or moving up to heavyweight to face the winner of this month’s title fight between Tom Aspinall and Ciryl Gane.
Pereira has had fractures in the past and has returned in a timeframe similar to what he would need to fight in June.
