Pereira Strengthens: Defeat to Ankalaev Changed the Champion

Alex Pereira Seeks Revenge: Is He Ready for the Challenge?

The world of mixed martial arts is preparing for an exciting encounter at UFC 320, where Alex Pereira will seek revenge against Magomed Ankalaev. However, the preparation for this fight has been different, marked by injuries and a crucial rest period for the former champion. Jorge Guimarães, Pereira’s manager, revealed that the fighter doesn’t usually complain about injuries, but before his fight against Ankalaev in March, something wasn’t right. Pereira, known for his endurance, even complained about how he felt.

“He never complains, except when he’s losing weight. Weight cutting is the only exception, but other than that, this guy is bulletproof. Everyone knows it. But in the last one, he complained about how he felt”, declared Guimarães.

Jorge Guimarães

In March, Pereira lost the light heavyweight title to Ankalaev by unanimous decision, in what many considered one of his worst performances in the UFC. Now, the former kickboxing and MMA champion will seek redemption in an immediate rematch in Las Vegas. It will be the first time since 2023 that Pereira is not the favorite in the betting. After the defeat, commentator Joe Rogan mentioned that Pereira was not at 100%. The fighter himself admitted that he was probably only at 40% of his capacity. His physiotherapist, Kaue Yub, revealed that Pereira was suffering, among other things, from a stress fracture in the tibia and got sick in Australia, receiving antibiotics shortly before the fight.

“When we were in Australia, I told him: ‘Buddy, you’re overtraining and your immunity is very low.’ And, indeed, he got very sick. He fought too many times. There was a serious lack of rest. Yes, he fought too many times,” explained Yub.

Kaue Yub

Even if Pereira had won the first encounter, his team knew a defeat was likely at some point. In 2024, he was named Fighter of the Year after defending his title on three occasions, including two fights with little preparation time. Despite a toe injury and constant travel, Pereira’s body was at its limit. Pereira, with a solid kickboxing career, was accustomed to a demanding combat pace. However, in March, his body showed signs of wear and tear. After the defeat, Pereira took the necessary rest and focused on recovery. Yub highlighted that Pereira has his own way of doing things, but after the last fight, it wasn’t necessary to talk much. Pereira was aware of the situation. The recovery was gradual, but in the last two months, what was expected was achieved. Pereira completed a full and uninterrupted training camp in Connecticut, where he trains with former UFC champion Glover Teixeira. Although his participation in a filming in Uruguay raised doubts, his coach, Plinio Cruz, assured that it was only for a few days before the camp.

“I took him to Japan this year, because he was training a heavyweight there. He went to Brazil and Uruguay, but all that was before the camp. They are not seeing him on all these trips, as it was with the last one. This is a different scenario in which we are fighting now. This time it was slow. We stayed home and stayed in the gym,” Cruz commented.

Plinio Cruz

The March defeat could result in the best version of Pereira in years. Confidence in the Pereira team is high, despite the defeat and the odds against them. When asked if they know something the world doesn’t, Coach Cruz responded with a smile: “I feel very, very good about this fight, brother.”