Ex-UFC Star Doesn’t Believe New Champion Alex Pereira ‘Beats a Single Guy in the Top Five’ After Victory Over Israel Adesanya at UFC 281

Alex Pereira is a former two-weight Glory Kickboxing champion who entered the UFC world in 2021. In just two years, the Brazilian mixed martial artist secured three victories under his name, two of which came via a knockout.

After that, Pereira received a title shot against his rival Israel Adesanya, who he had already defeated twice during their Glory Kickboxing days. At the mecca of fighting Madison Square Garden in New York last weekend, Pereira defeated Adesanya, who was undefeated for years in the middleweight division and became the new champion. Despite that, a former UFC star believes ‘Poatan’ wouldn’t fare well against the top fighters in the 185lbs roster.

What did the UFC star say about Alex Pereira?

‘The Last Stylebender’ has won over Robert Whittaker, Paulo Costa, Anderson Silva, and more. However, the New Zealander came short against the Brazilian. But the former UFC heavyweight fighter, Brendan Schaub, is unsure if Pereira will beat a top-ranked fighter other than Izzy.

In a recent video on his YouTube Channel, Schaub said, “I’m not taking anything away from Alex, but I don’t think he beats a single guy in the top five,” Schaub. Further on, he questioned Pereira’s ground game and claimed the top wrestlers in the division would want to fight him because of his lesser grappling.

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After watching the UFC 281 main event, Schaub was of the opinion that a fighter with a higher level of wrestling than Adesanya would have outperformed the Brazilian MMA star.

Will Pereira struggle against a wrestler?

‘Poatan’ started his mixed martial arts journey with a kickboxing background. Thus, he has mastered the art of striking and has six knockout victories under his name. However, during the fight with Izzy, it sure seemed like the Brazilian was struggling a bit on the mat.

 

 

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Therefore, a top-tier fighter with an excellent ground game like Robert Whittaker would surely give a hard time to Pereira inside the cage. However, it’s still a long way for the Brazilian champion and he might improve his arsenal for his future fights.

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What are your thoughts on Schaub’s words?