Ex-UFC Champion Admits He Was Jaw-Dropped After Meeting the ‘Giant’ Alex Pereira in Person

Alex Pereira, the current light heavyweight champion, is known for his imposing presence, and it’s not just in the octagon. But how big can he actually be? He looks lanky, right? Well, not if you ask former UFC champion Rashad Evans, who recently met Pereira in person and was left awestruck by his sheer size. 

Evans couldn’t help but be amazed at Pereira’s physicality, especially his massive hands and skull, which has left a lasting impression on the former champ. Pereira started his UFC career fighting at 185 lbs i.e., the middleweight division. He lost the middleweight title to Israel Adesanya and then decided to move up to 205 lbs and become the light heavyweight champion. 

Later it was revealed that he wasn’t in the best shape for the Izzy fight since he had gone up to 232 lbs in his off-season and had to cut 47 lbs to make it to 185 lbs. For reference, Jon Jones weighed in at 237.6 lbs for his first title defense against Stipe Miocic at UFC 310. Remember how big he looked? Pereira is almost the same size!

So it doesn’t come as a surprise that Evans joked about Poatan having some form of gigantism.

“I seen Alex Pereira this past weekend and he’s so damn big. And he has got these mitts. You know how bigfoot got that gigantism, I think he has got some form of that gigantism himself because he’s just got like a big a*s skull he’s got dense bones.”

 

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Evans is not the only one who feels this way. Many of Pereira’s former opponents have commented on certain features that give him an advantage in fights and this includes Adesanya.

The middleweight champion, who faced Pereira multiple times, both in the UFC and before it, has remarked on Pereira’s significant size advantage. He called him a “a freaking giant” whose hands are exceptionally large.

These insights highlight the significant physical attributes that set Pereira apart in the world of combat sports. Pereira now hopes that these features will help him as he aims to cross over into the sport of boxing for a mega fight.

Pereira hopes for a showdown with Usyk 

Pereira has his sights set on becoming a three-sport world champion. Already a former two-division Glory kickboxing champ, he made a successful transition to MMA, where he’s now both a former middleweight champion and the reigning light heavyweight champion in the UFC.

But he’s not stopping there. The Brazilian maverick has expressed interest in someday stepping into the boxing ring to challenge for a title, something he believes is possible, even if it’s not something that can be planned out just yet. Though he’s relatively new to pugilism, having made his pro debut in 2017 with a third-round TKO, he isn’t thinking small.

He’s got his eyes on the top of the division, saying he’d love to fight heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk.

UFC champion Alex Pereira called for a shot against Oleksandr Usyk in the ring

“I’d like to fight the champ [Usyk]. Boxing’s one of my strongest skills, I think it’s a good fight. I’ve sparred with experienced guys and did very well.” pic.twitter.com/S6Ue9yWbOq

— Happy Punch (@HappyPunch) January 30, 2025

Pereira feels confident in his boxing skills, even stating that he’s sparred with top-tier boxers and held his own. His coach, Plinio Cruz, is equally confident, praising Pereira’s performance against some world-class heavyweights. First, though, Pereira is focused on defending his light heavyweight title at UFC 313 against Magomed Ankalaev.