Alex Pereira was victorious in his relentless pursuit of the UFC 185lbs championship when he dethroned former UFC Middleweight champion, Israel Adesanya. The Brazilian followed the ‘Last Stylebender’, across two sports, accumulating three total victories against the Nigerian Kiwi. With two of the triumphs coming in kickboxing, and the latest coming in their highly anticipated martial arts bout.
Having successfully claimed the coveted title, as things stand, it may seem as though that ‘Poatan’ may not really have his next victim in mind. Although a rematch against Adesanya is being highly touted, only time will tell if the bout will come to fruition.
In the wake of his victory, the Brazilian was handed his brown belt in Jiu-Jitsu by his long-time coach Plinio Cruz. Responding to the token of appreciation handed to Pereira, top UFC contender, Khamzat Chimaev shared his thoughts on the achievement.
Suffice it to say, ‘Borz’ wasn’t pleased. Taking to Twitter, Chimaev posted-
🤦🏻♂️🤦🏻♂️🤦🏻♂️🤣🤣🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/Bta4bL03XD
— Khamzat Chimaev (@KChimaev) November 16, 2022
Khamzat Chimaev vs Alex Pereira down the line?
The hottest contender in the UFC 170bs and 185lbs division, Khamzat Chimaev, has thrown his hat in the mix, petitioning for a fight against the newly crowned Middleweight champion.
Ready to fight in Brazil @AlexPereiraUFC let’s go champ 🤪🤝
— Khamzat Chimaev (@KChimaev) November 13, 2022
Chimaev has been an unstoppable force since his arrival in the UFC. He has laid waste to every single individual that has stood between him and his path to glory.
‘Borz’ has taken down some prominent names such as Kevin Holland and most notably former UFC Welterweight title Challenger, Gilbert Burns.
The undefeated fighter reigned supreme over Holland as recently as this past august. He put his superlative wrestling to good use, before submitting Holland via a D’Arce choke within the first round. A sensational performance.
Given his distinctive wrestling, one cannot help but wonder how Chimaev would perform against the newly crowned UFC Middleweight champion, Alex Pereira.
The encounter against Israel Adesanya displayed that Pereira’s wrestling and grappling are subpar at best. If and when Chimaev takes him to the ground, best believe, he will rain heavy fire on the Brazilian through his vicious ground and pound.
It could be a bout that might be entertained by the UFC in late 2023 or at the latest early 2024. The prospect of a contest between the two makes for a riveting thought.
Will Middleweight be the ideal destination for Chimaev?
The 28-year-old has petitioned for a number of fights with top welterweight and Middleweight contenders. The Swede in his two-year tenure so far has fluctuated between two talent-stacked divisions in 170lbs and 185lbs.
Chimaev has racked up two magnificent victories at Middleweight and four spectacular wins at Welterweight. However, given his recent weight cut issues, one must not flinch at the suggestion that it would be better for the wrestling virtuoso if he decides to make the 185lbs weight class his permanent home.
It goes without saying, that would then render his hopes of becoming a two-division champion, impossible. However, if he wishes to sustain himself in the wild worlds of mixed martial arts, it would be advisable for him to not indulge in any strenuous weight cuts.
